1. Shifting Power: Equity in climate and energy planning
Renewable Cities Global Learning Forum 2017, Vancouver, BC

2. LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP
The draft 2015 Climate Action Plan that we are here to discuss today is the 4th generation of a climate plan developed and implemented over the past 20 years – 1993, 2001 and 2009.
The draft 2015 Climate Action Plan provides a roadmap for the community to achieve an 80 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2050, with an interim goal of a 40 percent reduction by 2030.
And we’ve already made remarkable progress on that goal…

3. 3,000 solar systems installed
250 green building projects
11% less energy per person (vs 1990)
29% fewer gallons of gasoline per person (vs 1990)
5,600 all electric cars in Oregon – 1,600 of them here
$6 million saved each year on the City and County’s energy bills

4. Local carbon emissions have declined well ahead of the national trend
WE’RE ON OUR WAY
While total carbon emissions in the U.S. are up 7 percent since 1990 (red line), Portland and Multnomah County have cut total emissions by 14 percent (blue line).
Clearly, we are headed in a different direction.
And the investments that have helped us reduce carbon emissions are the same things that make people want to live here:
Creating walkable neighborhoods with shopping, restaurants and parks
Investing in transit and bikeways
Restoring and protecting natural areas like Forest Park
Making our homes and buildings more efficient and comfortable
Local carbon emissions have declined well ahead of the national trend

5. POPULATION AND JOBS UP, CARBON DOWN
We’ve accomplished these carbon reductions while also welcoming 30% more people and over 75,000 more jobs during that same time.
We’ve shown here in Portland that it is possible to decouple carbon emissions from population and economic activity.

6. BUT WE STILL HAVE WORK TO DO
But we still have a lot of work to do if we are going to reach our long-term goal of reducing carbon emissions 80% by 2050.
In order to reach our goals we must have a plan that identifies next steps and regularly monitor our progress so that we can make adjustments as needed.

7. BUT WE STILL HAVE WORK TO DO

8. BUT WE STILL HAVE WORK TO DO

9. GENTRIFICATION IS A CLIMATE ISSUE

10. TALE OF TWO PORTLANDS

11. “Climate Equity ensures the just distribution of the benefits of climate protection efforts and alleviates unequal burdens created by climate change. This requires intentional policies and projects that simultaneously address the effects of and the systems that perpetuate both climate change and inequity.”
Acknowledging institutional racism
-Elevating impacts on low-income communities and communities of color

12. Defining Equity
Procedural Equity: Ensuring that processes are fair and inclusive in the development and implementation of any program or policy.

13. Defining Equity
Distributional Equity: Ensuring that resources or benefits and burdens of a policy or program are distributed fairly, prioritizing those with highest need first.
From: Wealth Inequality in America:

14. Defining Equity
Structural (Intergenerational) Equity: A commitment and action to correct past harms and prevent future negative consequences by institutionalizing accountability and decision-making structures that aim to sustain positive outcomes.

15. Stakeholder Power Analysis
Identify relevant stakeholders
Identify power dynamics between stakeholders
Determine what is meaningful

16. Climate Action Plan Update
Quadrant 1:
Quadrant 2:
City Bureaus
Young People
Native American Community
Utilities
Low-income populations
Impact/Need
African American community
Elderly populations
LEP Communities
Environmental Advocacy Organizations
Asian American community
City/County Staff
Community Advocacy organizations
Planning and sustainability commission
Quadrant 3:
Quadrant 4:
Elected Officials
Academic Institutions
Social service agencies
Faith-based organizations
Neighborhood associations
State Government
Federal Government
Influence/Access

17. Quadrant 3: Monitor for change
Quadrant Key
Quadrant 1: Prioritize
Quadrant 2: Manage
Quadrant 3: Monitor for change
Quadrant 4: Leverage

18. Targeted Universalism
“A targeted universal strategy is inclusive of the needs of both dominant and marginalized groups, but pays particular attention to the situation of the marginalized group…Targeted universalism rejects a blanket approach that is likely to be indifferent to the reality that different groups are situated differently relative to the institutions and resources of society.” - john powell, Racing to Justice
Colorblind approaches don’t work
By focusing on those with the most need, you find solutions that impact a greater good.

19. EQUITY WORK GROUP - A NEW MODEL OF ENGAGEMENT
Six organizations were grant funded to work along-side staff and evaluate the plan for opportunities to advance equity.

20. Tools for implementation
Equity Objectives
Know the community to understand the opportunity
Be accessible to diverse communities
Resource communities to build there capacity
Build effective partnerships
Equitably distribute costs and benefits
Create opportunities for community wealth building
Through EQWG process and equity lens was developed. As the plan was being finalized we transitioned the “considerations” to “objectives”

21. A new way of doing business
Sustainability at Work program
Deconstruction policy
Home energy scoring
Public trash cans
EV strategy

22. Community Empowerment
Cully Energy Plan
Reduce the total energy use of all
buildings built before 2010 by 25%.
Energy Conservation
Community Empowerment
Energy Generation
Supply 50% of all energy used in buildings from renewable resources,
with 10% produced within Multnomah County from onsite
renewable sources, such as solar
Engage communities, especially impacted under‐represented and
under‐served populations, in the development and implementation of
climate change –related policies and programs.

23. Cully Energy Plan Vision of Success
Energy investments in Cully have helped low‐income residents stay in Cully.
Community members are educated and empowered around Power in the neighborhood and youth have access to energy related stem education.
Local business and social enterprise are installing the neighborhood’s growing energy infrastructure.
Living Cully is equipped to access present and new opportunities in energy conservation and energy generation in the residential, commercial and industrial sector.
Cully is an energy resilient neighborhood and our work informs other CBOs as well as policy making at multiple levels.
All pilot projects must have at least two of the following:
Lower LI residents utility costs
Generate jobs for LI residents
Sustain or increase the number of affordable and healthy homes in Cully

24. Dialogue
How do we increase investment and access for people of color, indigenous peoples, low-income populations and other marginalized groups without creating negative impacts such as displacement? How can government serve as a corrective mechanism for past injustice and increase agency for oppressed groups? How can renewable energy efforts serve to not exacerbate existing social inequalities, but create opportunity and shift the status quo of burden?