What is local government doing?

Carbon reduction is a global problem that local governments cannot solve alone

Cities are responsible for 75 percent of the global greenhouse gas emissions. With the concentration of

the world’s population living in cities expected to increase from the current level of 50 percent to 60 percent by 2030, cities increasingly present the greatest opportunities to reduce global carbon emissions.

Local governments have an essential role to play in:

1. Delivering policies and programs that minimize business and household emissions;
2. Working with residents and businesses to help the community prepare for the environmental
   and economic challenges that are to come; and
3. Reducing emissions from their own government operations.

Portland recognized this role early on. In 1993, it became the first local government in the United States
to adopt a strategy to address global warming. In 2001, Multnomah County joined the City of Portland in

adopting a revised plan, the Local Action Plan on Global Warming, outlining 150 short- and long-term actions to reduce community-wide greenhouse gas emissions to 10 percent below 1990 levels by 2010.

For comparison, the target for the U.S. under the never ratified Kyoto treaty is to reduce greenhouse gas

emissions seven percent below 1990 levels by 2012. The City and County have made substantial progress
in carrying out the 2010 goal of the Local Action Plan. Local emissions peaked in 2000 at 11 percent over 1990 levels; by 2007, emissions had fallen below 1990 levels, despite rapid population and economic growth. On a per capita basis, local emissions have fallen by 17 percent since 1990.

City of Portland

In its own operations, the City of Portland finds many ways to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

Biofuels

All diesel vehicles and equipment that use the City’s fueling stations are currently fueled by a 20% biodiesel blend (20% biodiesel/80% diesel, also known as B20). Each year the City uses about 600,000 gallons of B20.

City Energy Challenge

Over the past decade, working closely with other City bureaus, OSD has helped cut energy bills by nearly $15 million. In addition, the City has received over $1.2 million in utility incentive payments and numerous awards for energy-saving accomplishments. One project highlight includes lighting upgrades in the Portland Building, home to some 3,000 City employees, saving taxpayers $80,000 a year.

100% Renewable

Portland is in the process of pursuing options for 100% renewable electricity for all City facilities and operations. Presently, 12 percent of the City’s municipal electricity purchases come from renewable sources, including power from four mictro-turbines fueled by biogas from the Columbia Boulevard Wastewater treatment plant.

Traffic Signal Retrofit

In 2001 the City finished replacing incandescent traffic signals with LED bulbs, saving three percent of total City CO2 emissions and cutting the City’s electricity bill by $265,000 per year. 

Hybrid Vehicles

In early 2002, the City took delivery of 30 Toyota Priuses, hybrid gasoline-electric vehicles that get 50 mpg. Reduced the consumption of fossil fuels in Portland (and Multnomah County’s) fleet through the use of biofuels, hybrids and highly fuel efficient vehicles like Smart Cars.

Tree Planting

The planting of over 750,000 trees and shrubs since 1996 has improved the quality of local waterways as well as absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Renewable Energy from Biogas

Generating over 1.7 megawatts of electricity from biogas generated from the treatment of Portland’s wastewater, a renewable energy source.