The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously today to pass a resolution approving the County’s first-ever Climate Justice Plan. The vote establishes a strategic 10-year roadmap for protecting residents from severe climate impacts and aggressively lowering carbon emissions.
The development of the plan was led by the Office of Sustainability, the Health Department and a steering committee of representatives from 13 community-based organizations. These organizations represent and serve frontline communities: those harmed first and worst by the impacts of climate change, including heat waves, wildfires, smoke and other extreme weather that have intensified in recent years due to the country’s and community’s continued reliance on fossil fuels.
The Climate Justice Plan establishes the County’s greenhouse gas reduction goals of reducing community-wide carbon emissions in Multnomah County to 50% below 1990 levels by 2030, and reaching net-zero community-wide greenhouse gas emissions levels by 2050. This aligns Multnomah County’s goals with the City of Portland’s.
“Climate change is the greatest public health challenge of the century, resulting in illness and premature death in our community,” said Brendon Haggerty, Healthy Homes and Communities Manager for the Health Department. “This plan creates a shared vision for a thriving community that addresses climate challenges directly while focusing on those who bear the heaviest burden.”
The final plan follows extensive engagement with both the public and the Board. The draft was first presented to the Board and shared publicly in April 2025. Following a month-long public comment period, the Board received an update in September 2025. In late 2025, the Office of Sustainability hosted 12 community forums, with each session focused on one of the plan’s goals.
The steering committee reviewed and approved the plan before the draft was brought back to the Board again last month. Board members encouraged the Office of Sustainability to engage further with trade and labor groups amid concerns the plan could inadvertently have negative impacts on jobs in their industries.
The Office of Sustainability then connected with trade unions and the Blue Green Alliance, ultimately adding an additional strategy to the plan that emphasizes the importance of skilled and trained workers as a needed element in the County’s clean energy transition.
“We listened to the public and the Board to sharpen this plan, maximize accountability and focus our priorities where they matter most,” said Office of Sustainability Director John Wasiutynski. “Most importantly, it keeps our core promise: working directly with the communities most impacted by climate change to drive our strategies. Adopting this plan honors their trust and gives us a clear, realistic roadmap to deliver real results.”
Representatives from four organizations that participated in the steering committee joined County leaders to provide remarks on the importance of including community in the plan’s development: Coalition of Communities of Color Executive Director Marcus Mundy, Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO) Community Development Director Duncan Hwang, City of Portland Chief Sustainability Officer Vivian Satterfield and NAACP PDX Environmental Justice Chair Jona Davis.
“From the very beginning, frontline communities have been the leaders in the development of the plan,” said Mundy. “This plan illustrates what can happen when community and local government come together and recognize our common interests.”
The Board also voted to approve two amendments. The first amendment, introduced by Commissioner Meghan Moyer, requires the Office of Sustainability to submit cost estimates to the Board for approval in advance of a strategy’s implementation. The second amendment, introduced by Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards, commits to a Board work session at the beginning of each fiscal year in which the Board will identify annual prioritized strategies from the plan, and analyses of workforce impacts for prioritized strategies.
Work begins immediately on a baseline indicators report, which will be followed by regular progress reports to the Board.
Board comments
“I'm excited about opportunities that address climate change and create good jobs of the future,” said Commissioner Moyer. “Through this plan, Multnomah County could contribute to a green transformation of our state’s leading industries, like timber and manufacturing.”
“I appreciate that the Office of Sustainability has continued to find attainable ways for us to live our values and not be turned away just because things are hard,” said Commissioner Shannon Singleton. “This is what co-creation looks like and an example of how the County can show up in partnership with our community.”
“The impacts of climate change are already impacting Multnomah County, especially vulnerable communities and residents in East Portland,” said Commissioner Brim-Edwards. “I supported adoption of the community-informed Climate Justice Plan that creates a roadmap to ensure all residents have access to clean water, clean air, nature, as well as the opportunities that come from good paying jobs that support a more climate resilient community.”
Commissioner Brim-Edwards continued, stating, “This work must include close partnership with labor unions and workers, while we’re building a more resilient County. I am pleased that because of my direction and leadership, a new strategy is now included in the Climate Justice Plan that elevates actions to add good jobs in green energy, manufacturing, and construction.
“In addition, the Commission today adopted my amendment for the Commission to work with the Office of Sustainability to identify prioritized strategies that also consider impacts on Oregon workers and the overall workforce. We cannot let this Plan sit on the shelf. Climate change poses one of the greatest challenges facing the County, and I’m committed to continuing to lead with action.”
“I appreciate the iterative and adaptive nature of this plan and the Board’s contributions,” said Commissioner Vince Jones-Dixon. "East County is our county’s most vulnerable area to climate disruption, this plan addresses that in a manner that recognizes the need for economic justice.”
“Multnomah County’s Climate Justice Plan is a reflection of true partnership and co-creation with our community,” said Chair Jessica Vega Pederson. “Today’s adoption is just the start of a new phase in the County’s path to address the climate crisis. By working together towards the goals outlined in this plan we can make our entire community stronger, more resilient, and more just. Not in spite of climate change, but because we tackle it head on.”
###