References

Data & Policies

The Northwest is highly dependent on temperature-
sensitive springtime snowpack to meet growing, and
often competing, water demands such as municipal
and industrial uses, agricultural irrigation, hydropower
production, navigation, recreation, and in-stream flows
that protect aquatic ecosystems including threatened
and endangered species (GCCI).
Introduction
Mitigation
Gaps
Portlands main goal should be to adequately assess its
capacity. Capacity helps determine the potential and
future impacts of climate change and thus is a necessity
to the citys preparation plan. Assessing capacity
requires assessing its determinates:
Technology
Institutional arrangements
New and existing policies
Funding
Information change level
Stakeholders
Portland and the whole of Multnomah County broke
down their Climate Action Plan into sections:
consumption and solid waste, transportation, homes,
commercial buildings, food, industry and city and county
operations. (Figure)
Reduce total solid waste generated by 25 percent.
(Figure 3)
Reduce the total energy use of all buildings built
before 2010 by 25 percent.
Reduce per capita daily vehicle-miles traveled (VMT)
by 30 percent from 2008 levels.
Portland and Multnomah County Climate Action Plan
Sean Tapia, University of Kansas
Adaptation
Like mitigation, Portland and all of Multnomah County
believe that adaptation is very important to protecting
themselves and the rest of the world from increased
climate change. This preparation takes form in many
action steps under the single objective, 17, of adapting
successfully to climate change.
Adapt successfully to a changing climate.
Assess climate-related vulnerabilities.
Create a preparation plan.
Protect and restore natural environment.
Burton, Ian, Bo Lim, Erika Spanger-Siegfried, Elizabeth L. Malone,
and Saleemul Huq. Adaptation Policy Frameworks for Climate
Change: Developing Strategies, Policies, and Measures.
Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UP, 2005. Print.
"Northwest." Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States
2009 Report. United States Global Research Program, 2009.
Web. 01 May 2014.
City of Portland and Multnomah County Climate Action Plan 2009.
Rep. Portland: n.p., 2009. Print.
U.S. Geological Survey. Portland, Oregon.
Portland is one of the leading cities in the world in
addressing climate change and reducing carbon
emissions. However , its adaptation strategies and
funding processes could use some work in the following
areas:
Capacity (Figure 4)
Measurement
Assessment
Functionality
Funding
Who is providing it?
How is it being provided?
How will this need for funding affect the
population?
The effects the increased climate change caused by
humans has on both winter and summer precipitation in
the Northwest region is Portlands, as well as the rest of
the Northwests, biggest issue because it results in most
of the areas environmental and social problems.
Background
Geography (Figure 1)
Lies on the Columbia and Willamette rivers in
Willamette Valley.
Dependent upon melted snowpack that often floods
when the Columbia Basin overflows.
Sits on top of a potentially active volcano
Economy
Strong shipping and steel industry
Median household income, 2008-2012$51,238
Figure 2
Figure 1
Figure 3
Figure 4
Goals
Data collection and policies both revolve around a
singular aspect for Portland, funding. The plan states
that it will need to find funds for many of the actions but
doesnt say where from or how it will get those funds.
Collecting data on available options will determine the
potential policies that are available for establishing those
necessary funds.