Community Action Preserved Multnomah County’s Climate Commitments

Last month, Multnomah County was poised to approve a budget cut that would have undermined over a decade of local climate leadership. County commissioners considered eliminating the Multnomah County Office of Sustainability, which has helped shape some of the most ambitious climate and equity policies in the country, including the County’s nationally recognized Climate Action Plan. The potential loss of this small but mighty team sent an alarming message that the County was prepared to abandon its commitment to climate responsibilities just when bold and coordinated action is needed most urgently. This sparked a swift and powerful response from across the community.

Through public testimony, organizing, letters, and direct advocacy, we demonstrated the widespread support for preserving the County’s sustainability and climate programs, which directly protect our communities from pollution, rising energy costs, and climate disasters like heat waves and wildfire. Together, we sent a powerful  message: climate leadership is not optional.

The Multnomah County budget process has now come to a close, and while the final outcome includes difficult compromises – a 1.5 FTE cut that will likely result in the loss of a position – it also reflects the strength and determination of a broad community committed to climate justice. 

At a time when communities are already facing the accelerating impacts of climate change, even a partial reduction in capacity poses real risks to the County’s ability to advance climate polity and equity-centered programs at the scale this moment demands. However, the result stands in stark contrast to earlier budget proposals that would have dismantled the Office of Sustainability entirely. 

Those broader cuts were taken off the table because we showed up: community members, advocacy organizations, and partners across the region demanded that Commissioners protect County climate and sustainability programs. A positive outcome was not guaranteed, and it was won through collective pressure and deep community engagement. We are grateful to the Commissioners who chose to protect this work and to the many individuals and groups who mobilized alongside us. Our efforts made a difference.