We are now accepting public comments on the DRAFT Climate Justice Plan. Your feedback is vital and will directly shape the Climate Justice Plan. Comments are due by May 11, 2025.
Acknowledging that climate change makes the challenges today even harder to fix, the Climate Justice Plan (CJP) presents solutions that address the needs of people experiencing the worst harm from the climate crisis, and provide benefits for all. By working together for clean air and water, more trees and shade, clean and renewable energy, and a sense of shared purpose and participation, our entire community will be better off without leaving anyone behind.
The goals of the Multnomah County Climate Justice Plan
We envision a Multnomah County where climate justice is possible. Community members and local government staff created the following goals for our community, where:
- Every community member has the opportunity to contribute to climate justice in Multnomah County.
- Every community member has access to wealth-building opportunities and green jobs.
- Every community member has access to affordable, reliable, and safe transit, biking, and pedestrian infrastructure.
- Every community member has access to nutritious, culturally-specific food and can participate in traditional food practices.
- Every community member has access to affordable clean energy.
- Every community member is safe from the risks posed by fossil fuels and energy infrastructure.
- Every community member has access to clean water that supports their needs and all living systems.
- Every community member breathes clean and healthy air.
- Every community member is resilient to extreme weather events and other climate threats.
- Every community member has safe, healthy, and affordable housing.
- Every community member is surrounded by and connected to nature, parks, and green infrastructure.
- Every community member has access to the resources and underlying conditions that promote health and well being.
Climate justice plan priorities
By using a justice-centered approach, the CJP has been developed to address the climate crisis in Multnomah County and its impacts on Multnomah County residents. The CJP:
- Prioritizes the needs of historically marginalized communities to ensure environmental justice,
- Helps our community work toward building a more resilient and pollution-free future in Multnomah County,
- Reduces greenhouse gas emissions, improves air quality, and increases community preparedness for climate-related impacts,
- Prioritizes community-driven solutions, and amplifies community power, voice, and leadership, and
- Fosters shared decision-making and collaboration between government, community organizations, and residents to identify and implement climate solutions.
Climate justice plan outcomes
Our pursuit of climate justice will result in a community that benefits from:
- Reduced negative impacts of climate change on frontline communities,
- Improved air quality, water quality, and access to green spaces and healthy homes,
- New green jobs and support for sustainable economic development, and
- Enhanced ability to adapt to and transform from climate-related disasters.
Who co-created the plan
Comprising members of 13 community-based organizations representing and serving frontline communities, the Climate Justice Plan Steering Committee brought a wealth of expertise, wisdom, and lived experience to their charge of co-creating the CJP based on the Climate Justice Framework. Its members, many of whom are Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color, and span in age from youth to elders, were actively engaged in advocating for energy equity, social justice, and environmental health within their communities. This diverse group ensured that the CJP prioritized the needs of frontline communities.
The Steering Committee members represented the following organizations:
- APANO
- Coalition of Communities of Color
- Community Energy Project
- Multnomah County Youth Commission
- Portland NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Committee
- Neighbors for Clean Air
- NW Energy Coalition
- Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility
- Rahab’s Sisters
- Self Enhancement, Inc.
- Unite Oregon
- Verde
Staff members represented the following departments/bureaus:
- Multnomah County Office of Sustainability
- Multnomah County Health Department / Healthy Homes and Communities Team
- City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability
How the Climate Justice Plan was written
Working in close partnership with staff from Multnomah County and the City of Portland, the Steering Committee provided invaluable leadership and strategic vision by:
- Informing plan development: Committee members used their expertise and knowledge to identify strategies and projects that prioritized the needs of frontline communities.
- Aligning organizational priorities: Committee members considered how their respective organizations and the communities they serve aligned with the CJP's priorities and strategies.
- Fostering leadership development: The Steering Committee intentionally included members outside traditional executive leadership roles to foster leadership and strategic planning skills within each organization.
The Steering Committee employed several key principles during this effort:
- Break cycles of perpetual advocacy: Many communities find themselves constantly advocating for basic needs, diverting energy and resources from long-term solutions. True community leadership can empower communities to move beyond reactive advocacy and to actively shaping their own futures.
- Build trust and equity: By centering community voices and empowering them to lead, governments and the communities they serve can build stronger, more equitable relationships with each other.
- Develop more effective and just solutions: When communities have genuine ownership over the planning process, the resulting solutions are more likely to be effective, equitable, and sustainable.
This collaborative space for advocates and organizers generated new and transformative solutions; developed ways for community members to be involved in the implementation and communication of the plan; and shared lessons learned that are necessary for developing the Plan and achieving climate justice in Multnomah County. Committee members prioritized ensuring the Plan is specific and actionable, with clear metrics to track progress. Members also pushed community engagement and ensuring that all voices are heard as major priorities. The Steering Committee also grappled with the limited role of Multnomah County as a local government and how the Plan could influence other jurisdictions. City of Portland staff partnered closely with Multnomah County to support Steering Committee members and ensure alignment between other local government planning efforts.
Next Steps
After the public comment period staff and the Steering Committee will review all submissions received from our community and make changes to the draft plan. The revised plan will then be reviewed and approved by the Steering Committee. The final Climate Justice Plan will then be brought to the Board of County Commissioners for final approval in the summer of 2025.
- Review the Draft Climate Justice Plan and provide feedback by May 11, 2025: share your feedback using this form or email at sustainability@multco.us.
- Get the Climate Justice Plan summary:
- Join us for a virtual webinar this Earth Day, April 22nd, from 5:30-7:00pm. This is a critical opportunity for all community members to directly influence the future of climate action: register here.