City of Tacoma Community Environmental Action Plan and Strategy

Location Tacoma, WA, US
Client City of Tacoma, WA
Client Type Municipal Government
Population (2019) 212,869
Schedule October 2019 – November 2020
Tools used City energy and emissions model for the US

The City of Tacoma produced its first Climate Action Plan in 2008. In 2019, Indigenous and youth climate strikes demanded the City of Tacoma take more action to address the climate crisis. In response, the City of Tacoma, in partnership with the Puyallup Tribal Council, declared a climate emergency. 

Project Objective

SSG was brought in to support the City in developing

• a 2019 GHG Inventory,
• a Community Environmental Action Plan,
• and a Municipal Carbon Neutrality Strategy

through a transformative and engaging process. They desired a goal-oriented, equity-based action plan that defines the community’s climate challenges, serves as a mechanism to tie together the City’s existing sustainability initiatives, and defines implementation actions, strategies, and accountability processes for near-, medium-, and long-term targets.

A key challenge was bringing industrial representatives to the table, as industrial emissions account for 30% of 2019 emissions in Tacoma. This challenge was overcome by focusing on the use of a new, participatory and people centered process that paid frontline community members for their participation and contributions.

Outcomes

• As a result of the planning process, the City adopted a target of net zero emissions by 2050, which was more ambitious than they had initially considered. 
• The plan was widely supported by City staff and departments who were deeply engaged in its development. 

Services: Climate action planning, Equitable engagement approach

Read the final report here.