Reducing carbon emissions is essential to prevent irreversible damage to the planet and our city. City Council declared a climate emergency in 2020 and directed City bureaus to restore a safe climate for all Portlanders, centering the needs and priorities of Black and Indigenous communities, people experiencing low income, and community members who are most at-risk and vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

Portlanders have already begun to experience extreme weather as a result of climate change, including the intense wildfire smoke in 2020 and the record-breaking 116 degree heat in 2021.

In July 2022, the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability released the Climate Emergency Workplan to get to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The workplan describes the actions the City of Portland and its partners can and must take to reach net zero carbon emissions to make Portland more resilient. 

The workplan is based on a legacy of climate leadership, fueled by a rapidly warming planet, and centered on our most vulnerable and at-risk community members.

The numbers show some decline, but significant decreases need to occur for the city to meet the goal in 5 years.

More details and metrics are available on the Climate and Energy Dashboard.

Portland and Multnomah County have been tracking local carbon emissions for more than 30 years, using an annual sector-based emissions inventory.

Portland gathers and uses data for Multnomah County for its emission inventory. This is done for a variety of reasons, including a long history of climate action collaboration. There are also specific data sets used for the emission inventory that are only available at the county level. 

This data is reported on a calendar year and has a two-year reporting delay.

Read and learn about the Climate Emergency Declaration and progress on emission reductions in Portland and Multnomah County.