Developing the Climate Justice Plan

Developing the Climate Justice Plan: A new approach to climate planning

The Multnomah County Office of Sustainability is committed to a new way of working that shifts away from the traditional government planning process by centering the voices and expertise of frontline communities. This approach seeks to:

Build spaces where community and government show up as equals,
Recognize the unique roles that community and government play in affecting change, and
Identify opportunities where collective impact can address the climate crisis.

Moving at the speed of trust, the County has worked with frontline community based organizations and individuals to use this new model of collaboration in developing the DRAFT Climate Justice Plan in phases. And, with the publication of the draft plan, the Office of Sustainability has worked to deepen and broaden community engagement by asking the general public, industry groups, other government agencies, community organizations, and environmental groups to weigh in on the draft plan.

Laying the Foundation: Developing a New Model

Climate Justice by Design - In 2020, Multnomah County, the City of Portland, and community partners, with the help of Kapwa and studio b:ask, created the Climate Justice by Design (CJxD) model. CJxD was founded on the belief that climate change and social injustice stem from the same root problem: systems intentionally designed to exploit human and natural capital for power and wealth. Its premise was simple: if systems can be designed for exploitation, they can also be redesigned for justice. The two-year CJxD initiative fostered learning and relationship building, but participants ultimately agreed a more formal, co-creative planning process was needed to clearly advance climate justice goals.

The Climate Justice Framework & Climate Justice Earth Day Convening - In 2022, Multnomah County and the Coalition of Communities of Color began developing a shared, frontline community-centered vision for climate justice, supported by grants from the Urban Sustainability Directors Network and Meyer Memorial Trust. An Executive Committee—composed of community leaders, CBOs, and government representatives—guided the effort, using frameworks like the NACRP's "Vision, Power, Solutions." Prioritizing the "speed of trust," the Committee established shared values and a power-sharing decision process.

Inspired by the NACRP’s “Vision, Power, Solutions Framework,” the Executive Committee organized a climate justice-focused Earth Day event in April 2023, convening over 60 individuals from frontline communities. The day was structured around developing a shared vision, building power, and identifying solutions. Participants engaged in a visualization exercise centered on a "tree" to map their goals: values (roots), aspirations (leaves), short-term actions (seeds), and long-term strategies (trunk). The day successfully transformed a bare tree image into a vibrant representation of the community’s collective vision, and the Executive Committee subsequently analyzed the resulting insights to help inform the Climate Justice Framework.

Climate Justice Framework and Environmental Justice Zine

Cover of 2023 Environmental Justice Zine

In July 2023, the Executive Committee marked a significant milestone with the adoption of the Climate Justice Framework which was the culmination of two years of deep collaboration, and included the significant data gathered at the Earth Day Convening. The Framework established a shared vision of climate justice between the County and frontline communities. . This shared vision includes values such as: Community Care, Coexistence, Lifting Voices, Connection, Meeting Basic Needs, Liberation, Justice: Health, Racial, Economic, Healthy Environment and Clean Air, Solidarity, and Housing for All.

Also released in July 2023, the Environmental Justice Indicators Storytelling Zine (EJ Zine) complements and accompanies the framework by providing a snapshot in time of how our communities experience environmental justice. The EJ Zine demonstrates how quantitative data can be paired with community data, storytelling, and art to create a more comprehensive, insightful, and accessible picture of community well-being.

The EJ Zine and CJP Framework provided a pathway for shifting the concept of a climate plan from a bureaucratic document to a living document that reflects the goals and aspirations of frontline communities.

Phase 1: Frontline Community Engagement

Frontline Community Engagement Period: November 2023 - March 2025

A Steering Committee was formed to work alongside Multnomah County staff to co-create a formal Climate Justice Plan (CJP). Composed of members from 13 community-based organizations representing frontline communities, and with support from the City of Portland, the Steering Committee brought a wealth of expertise and lived experience that helped to ensure a justice centered process. Its diverse members—including Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color, ranging from youth to elders— worked to:

Inform plan development: Identifying strategies and projects under each universal goal that prioritize frontline community needs.
Aligning organizational priorities: Connecting their respective organizations' and communities' needs with CJP priorities.
Fostering leadership development: Intentionally including members outside traditional executive roles to build strategic planning skills.

The steering committee also worked with staff to expand engagement to other frontline communities - including immigrant and refugee communities, students, community resilience networks, and others - to directly gather feedback.

Steering Committee Members:

Climate Justice Plan Steering Committee Meeting Minutes & Agendas:

CJP Steering Committee Worksession (3-24-25) Agenda (PDF)
CJP Steering Committee Worksession (3-24-25) Meeting Minutes (PDF)

CJP Steering Committee Meeting #12 (2-25-25) Agenda (PDF)
CJP Steering Committee Meeting #12 (2-25-25) Meeting Minutes (PDF)

CJP Steering Committee Meeting #11 (10-23-24) Agenda (PDF)
CJP Steering Committee Meeting #11 (10-23-24) Meeting Minutes (PDF)

CJP Steering Committee Meeting #10 (9-26-24) Agenda (PDF)
CJP Steering Committee Meeting #10 (9-26-24) Meeting Minutes (PDF)

CJP Steering Committee Meeting #9 (7-24-24) Agenda (PDF) |
CJP Steering Committee Meeting #9 (7-24-24) Meeting Minutes (PDF)

CJP Steering Committee Meeting #8 (6-20-24) Agenda (PDF)
CJP Steering Committee Meeting #8 (6-20-24) Meeting Minutes (PDF)

CJP Steering Committee Meeting #7 (5-23-24) Agenda (PDF)
CJP Steering Committee Meeting #7 (5-23-24) Meeting Minutes (PDF)

CJP Steering Committee Optional CJP Workshop (5-15-24) Meeting Minutes (PDF)

CJP Steering Committee Meeting #6 (4-22-24) Agenda (PDF)
CJP Steering Committee Meeting #6 (4-22-24) Meeting Minutes (PDF)

CJP Steering Committee Optional Workshop (4-9-24) Meeting Minutes (PDF)

CJP Steering Committee Meeting #5 (3-21-24) Agenda (PDF)
CJP Steering Committee Meeting #5 (3-21-24) Meeting Minutes (PDF)

CJP Steering Committee Worksession (3-14-24) Agenda (PDF)
CJP Steering Committee Worksession (3-14-24) Meeting Minutes (PDF)

CJP Steering Committee Meeting #4 (2-22-24) Agenda (PDF)
CJP Steering Committee Meeting #4 (2-22-24) Meeting Minutes (PDF)

CJP Steering Committee Meeting #3 (1-25-24) Agenda (PDF)
CJP Steering Committee Meeting #3 (1-25-24) Meeting Minutes (PDF)

CJP Steering Committee Meeting #2 (12-11-23) Agenda (PDF)
CJP Steering Committee Meeting #2 (12-11-23) Meeting Minutes (PDF)

CJP Steering Committee Meeting #1 (11-8-23) Agenda (PDF)
CJP Steering Committee Meeting #1 (11-8-23) Meeting Minutes (PDF)

Phase 2: Community Engagement

Public Comment Period: April 2025 - September 2025

To broaden the scope of community feedback, the public discussion draft of the Plan was presented to the Board of County Commissioners and released for public comment. The public comment period included in person and online events, a feedback survey, and opportunities for community members to submit written comments.

The Draft Climate Justice Plan was presented at a Board Meeting on April 3, 2025.
On Earth Day, April 22, 2025, the Multnomah County Office of Sustainability and Health Department held a webinar, “Shaping Multnomah County's Climate Justice Plan”. Staff detailed the process to develop the vision and contents of the draft plan. They also invited community members to provide feedback and share the draft plan with others to ensure that the final plan helps to shape a future of climate action that is equitable and just. The recording of the webinar and the slide deck were shared after the event.
Letters received during the public comment period
Survey Responses received during the public comment period
Emails received during the public comment period

Phase 3: Refinement & Finalization

Refinement & Finalization Period: October 2025 - April 2026

Community forums will be held for each of the 12 goals, find out more about the forums here.
Staff will present the revised draft to the Board of County Commissioners in a work session in early 2026
Use feedback from the Board to finalize the draft
Proposed final draft of the Climate Justice Plan published in first quarter of 2026
CJP Steering Committee and Board of County Commissioners anticipated to approve the final plan April 2026

Dig Deeper: The Data Sources That Have Helped Shape the Report

Multnomah County

City of Portland and State of Oregon

Other

Developing the Climate Justice Plan