Vancouver mayor highlights city’s climate work
In the seven months since the city of Vancouver adopted its Climate Action Framework, the city has created jobs and programs to help achieve its goal of carbon neutrality by 2040, according to a Facebook post this week by Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle.
This month, the city hired Stacey Dalgaard as its new associate climate project coordinator, who will work full time on the city’s environmental goals. Dalgaard previously worked as the water outreach director for the Oregon Environmental Council for six years, “working with stakeholders and sovereigns across Oregon to raise the profile of water and advance equitable solutions to water challenge,” McEnerny-Ogle stated.
Earlier this year, the city awarded a contract to assess energy efficiency on city buildings to reduce Vancouver’s carbon footprint. The city’s climate plan aims to reduce the emissions of city buildings and facilities by 80 percent by 2025.
To accompany the work, the city council recently awarded an electrical engineering contract to support electrification upgrades and solar opportunities, according to McEnerny-Ogle.
Earlier this year, the city created the Climate Community Advisors, a group for youth and BIPOC residents to participate in the city’s climate efforts.
Lastly, the city has focused its efforts on transportation and ensuring that fuel emissions are reduced in upcoming years. According to McEnerny-Ogle, the city is planning for electric vehicle charging stations at more city buildings and an increase in electric vehicles for city vehicles as part of updating the Transportation System Plan.
“The city’s complete streets work is accelerating conversion of the street system toward a true mobility system, supporting transit and personal mobility travel options,” she wrote. “Our larger policy work via the Transportation System Plan will further embed this in the City’s mobility.”
— Carlos Fuentes
