Title
Climate Action Plan Implementation
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Receive a briefing on Olympia's climate change response and implementation of the Thurston Climate Mitigation Plan.
Report
Issue:
Whether to receive a briefing on Olympia's climate change response and implementation of the Thurston Climate Mitigation Plan.
Staff Contact:
Pamela Braff, PhD, Climate Program Manager, City Manager's Office, 360.753.8249
Presenter(s):
Pamela Braff, PhD, Climate Program Manager
Background and Analysis:
Climate Action Goals
In April 2018, Thurston County, Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, and Thurston Regional Planning Council began the first phase of work to develop a regional climate mitigation plan. Phase I resulted in the following regional greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets:
* 45% below 2015 levels by 2030
* 85% below 2015 levels by 2050
Over the next two years, the partner jurisdictions worked together to develop a regional climate mitigation plan. In February 2021, all partners accepted the Thurston Climate Mitigation Plan (TCMP) as a common framework to achieve the regionally adopted emissions reduction targets.
In 2021, Olympia also joined the Cities Race to Zero, pledging to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040 and set an interim 2030 science-based target, which reflects Olympia's fair share of a 50% reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. In April 2022, Olympia City Council passed Resolution M-2320, pledging to reduce citywide greenhouse gas emissions:
* 59% below 2019 levels by 2030
* Net-zero by 2040
Implementation Progress
In January 2021, the City of Olympia established a new climate program and one full-time staff position to lead Olympia's implementation of the TCMP and other actions to support climate preparedness and adaptation.
Key progress to date includes:
* Building staff capacity to integrate climate action across all levels of city policy, p...
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