Abstract

Global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are changing the climate in ways that threaten the vitality, livability, and prosperity of the Everett community. The City of Everett is projected to encounter changes in temperature, precipitation, rain and snowfall, sea level, and flooding frequency. These changes will exacerbate existing concerns and introduce new challenges to Everett’s natural resources, economy, infrastructure, and quality of life.

The City of Everett is committed to reducing local GHG emissions to stabilize the global climate. This Climate Action Plan (CAP) builds on the City’s past successes and strengths in other planning and implementation efforts and sets new targets—a 50% reduction in GHG emissions by 2030 and an 80% reduction by 2050— to protect the wellbeing of its residents for decades to come. As one of the fastest-growing cities in the Puget Sound region, the City of Everett will face particular challenges in attempting to curb GHG emissions. However, the cost of inaction is too high—and the benefits of climate action are too large—not to act now.

This community-level CAP is the first of its kind for the City of Everett. It provides a long-term vision and strategic roadmap for reducing GHG emissions and preparing for climate change in the community. This CAP represents the first phase of an ongoing and evolving process. It was written for the community—building on knowledge of projected local climate changes, sources of GHG emissions, and community vulnerabilities, priorities, ideas, and concerns. It focuses on foundational activities that set up Everett for future successes, along with those that achieve the greatest emissions reductions and create transformational change in a cost- effective and equitable manner. The entire community—Everett businesses, residents, and visitors—has a role in both implementing the CAP and enjoying its benefits.