Portland City Council plans this afternoon to adopt an updated version of the Climate Action Plan, a guide to help the metro area reduce carbon emissions by 40 percent from 1990 levels by 2030 and 80 percent by 2050. As of 2013, the area’s reduced emissions 14 percent from their 1990 levels, which is certainly a start considering how much our population and production has increased in the 25 intervening years.
The plan’s authors are making a point during this update (the last update was in 2009) to stress the fact that Portland’s work to be “green” has been a bit too white-centric, and have written in specific language showing Portland and Multnomah County’s commitment to fighting the gentrification we’ve seen over the last couple decades. Here’s an example of some of the language in the 2015 Climate Action Plan:
Portland’s work to protect our climate has already delivered community benefits However, we have not shared equitably in those economic and health benefits In particular, many communities of color and low‐income people have been left out … The City and County are committed to leveling this playing field We’re working to: Increase access to transit, sidewalks, bike lanes and other transportation options, reduce pollution exposure, improve access to parks and other natural resources, (and) reduce burdens of housing and energy costs.
City Council will likely accept the draft report, and the Multnomah County Commissioners plan to do the same tomorrow.
The Climate Action Plan is a great thing, and it’s also great that the action items within the plan focus on creating complete neighborhoods, improving transportation options, and increasing employment opportunities for communities of color and other historically underrepresented groups.
A coalition of local advocacy groups have come together to suggest a way that Portlanders can be both victorious in reducing carbon emissions while also protecting these groups.
READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP
Several local groups, including the Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA), the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO), the Coalition of Communities of Color (CCC), OPAL Environmental Justice Oregon, and too many others to list, have spent months working on a plan that would keep the focus, going forward, on the fact that communities of color are particularly vulnerable to climate change and pacts like the CAP.
The coalition of community advocacy groups has nearly completed a plan outlining a vision for Portland and Multnomah County that will offer policy makers options for how to best move forward with implementing the goals of the CAP without further harming communities of color. The full report is not final yet, but, in the spirit of today’s adoption by City Council of the CAP, I got permission to share some of what the group is working on:
Portland, Oregon is not the predominantly white, environmentally green city most Americans imagine it to be. In reality, Portland continues to rapidly grow in diversity: more than 50% of youth under age 18 are non-white. And our region’s climate resilience infrastructure grows increasingly fractured and largely benefits wealthier, whiter neighborhoods. Gentrification worsens the situation as economic forces push communities of color and low income away from resilience infrastructure and out of city limits. The insecurity our communities face continually disrupts our senses of social cohesion and interdependence. We reject the notion that race or income should predetermine the fate of our children. We present a plan to ensure our families experience multiplicative benefit of public policy actions intended to mitigate or adapt to climate change, making our communities more secure in years ahead.
Matt Morton (Squaxin Island), NAYA Executive Director, says the forthcoming report is part of a larger movement the groups hope will lead future decisions by local policy makers.
“Mainstream environmentalism often devalues the experience of low income people and people of color,” Morton says. “We’re leading a movement for climate resilience rooted in environmental justice, which honors the history, perspectives, and expressed desires of diverse people.”
NAYA (and associates) aren’t the only ones keeping tabs on what policy-makers are doing. There are groups protesting downtown as we speak, calling for a stronger action plan and better enforcement of policies. The Climate Action Coalition and PDX Bike Swarm folks put on one of four protest rides (and were nice enough to send photos, thanks guys and I’ll hopefully post some later).
Here’s what they had to say on their Facebook page about today’s rally:
With dozens of businesses in Portland who profit off extreme energy, we must radically update our Climate Action Plan to reflect the reality of worsening climate catastrophe. Join us and the Tank of DOOM with your banners and best formal attire or business casual. We may have defeated Pembina Propane, but now we must stop Portland’s fossil fuel economy in its tracks.
Check out their Facebook page and look for the #floodthesystem hashtag on Twitter for updates.
City Council’s public hearing on the updated Climate Action Plan is scheduled for today at 2 pm. I’ll be there listening in, so you can follow any live tweets here.