Climate Governance Platform

Created by 350PDX Climate Justice Policy Team,
part of the 350PDX Climate Justice Platform 2024

Context

The City of Portland currently has a Climate Action Plan and a Climate Emergency Workplan, and is signaling it will create a Climate Justice Plan next year. A plan alone means nothing without climate governance. Climate governance is recognizing the importance of intra-government cooperation, communication, and accountability. Adequate funding must be in place so plans can be implemented effectively. Each of these factors must be present and supported to build a vibrant, sustainable city and reverse impacts from the climate crisis.

In the new system of government, Portland is taking steps in the direction of prioritizing climate and sustainability concerns by placing a Chief Sustainability Officer in the City Administrator’s office, and by approving the formation of a Sustainability and Climate Commission in 2025. The new City Council can ensure the CSO has the power, support, and budget to successfully address climate, environmental, and sustainability goals that cross multiple bureaus, service areas, and jurisdictions.

Actions

The City of Portland must ensure that any climate plan is supported by organizational structures and budget allocations that reflect the scope, scale, and urgency of the required action. This should include, while not limited to, the following items:

Supporting the Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) continuing in the City Administrator’s office with the following tasks and authorities:

The CSO, reporting directly to the City Administrator, shall have the responsibility for the adoption and execution of the City’s plans relating to climate, the environment, and sustainability, including the Climate Action Plan, the Climate Emergency Plan, and any forthcoming plans the City develops on these topics.
Ensure the CSO has the authority to coordinate climate and sustainability projects across City bureaus and service areas as well as the power to enforce and monitor the CAP and CEW.
With the CSO’s guidance, put policies in place that reflect best practices from the
Urban Sustainability Directors Network, of which Portland is a member.

Ensure the Sustainability & Climate Commission (SCC) begins successfully.

Reporting to the CSO, this new strategic planning, advisory, and accountability body will be seated in 2025.
City Council oversight should ensure the commission includes appropriate expertise and diversity of representation so it can promote a just transition to a sustainable future.

Form one or more committees related to climate, environment, and sustainability among City Council.

This council could provide the SCC some degree of authority, or define a conduit to bring recommendations to the city council committee for approval, so the SCC’s existence and input is not performative.
This new City Council committee could receive ideas and concerns related to climate and environmental issues and offer policy changes to the broader council.

Regularly require metrics showing progress on CAP, CEW, and any subsequent City plans related to climate and sustainability.

Quarterly activity updates and annual reviews.
City plans such as the CAP and CEW should use SMART metrics to meet the requirements developed by the C40, of which Portland is a member as an “Innovator” city.
Ensure that, if climate deadlines are projected to be exceeded, there are immediate remediation plans put into place to reverse these overshoots.

Create a climate budget.

Consider all aspects of the budget with awareness of the climate crisis.
Make budgetary decisions with recognition of impacts of climate change and preparations for these changes.
Build climate issues into the budget, with awareness that these are no longer additional to the normal City budget, but are necessary annual expenses.

Consistent, mandated funding to complete City plans and policies related to climate and sustainability.

Allocate funding to successfully complete the Climate Action Plan and Climate Emergency Workplan within their mandated timelines.
Ensure that any future plans created by the City, such as a Climate Justice Plan, include budget allocations sufficient to implement the plans.