The 2021 Sustainability Action Plan (SAP) is an update to the City's 2009 Sustainability Action Plan. The Sustainability Action Subcommittee developed this update over a period of 2 ½ years, including a six-month public feedback period resulting in hundreds of recommended revisions. This final version of the SAP was adopted by City Council on October 25th, 2021. Select the links below to read the plan.
Full Report (PDF 6.8 MB)
Executive Summary (PDF 1.6 MB)
Individual Chapters
To learn more about why we need a Sustainability Action Plan watch a 24 minute presentation that will help to answer this question. The video also addresses specific climate projections for the Spokane area, and the thought process that went into the creation of this draft Plan.
To request a member of the SAS at one of your community meetings, email sas@spokanecity.org.
Visit the SAS Environmental Justice & Equity webpage to learn more about our work and how you can get involved.
If you are a Spokane resident age 4-14, check out our resources specifically for you! Do you love spending time outdoors? Maybe you are an animal lover or enjoy water sports? Learn how you can help the City keep Spokane green!
The Sustainability Action Subcommittee (SAS) is a group of appointed volunteer community members who care about the greater Spokane community and want to see it thrive. City Council created the SAS in early 2019 in order to focus on issues surrounding climate change and its effects on Spokane and the region. SAS is tasked to research solutions the City and its residents can take to both mitigate our contribution to climate change and help make our community more resilient in the face of these changes. We are fortunate to call the Inland Northwest our home, which is why we are working to prepare Spokane for the challenges and opportunities of the future.
View 2019 SAS Overview
View 2022 SAS Resolution
Our Community, Our Future
Thank you to everyone who completed the Climate Action Plan Survey. We'll use your input to inform more community involvement and planning for a sustainable Spokane.
2020 Survey Summary.
2021 Sustainability Action Plan Survey Summary.
Vulnerability Assessment
A changing climate brings specific risks to the Spokane region in terms of increased temperatures, more intense wildfires, and changes in snowpack which affect the health of our river and our aquifer. Learn more in this vulnerability assessment, co-created by citizens of Spokane along with researchers and scientists from the University of Washington, University of Idaho, and Oregon State University.
Take Action
Our team is collecting a list of Green Tips for you to implement at your work or home. Discover ways in which you can implement actions and strategies for making Spokane a greener place to live.
Energy heats our homes, cooks our food, and drives our economy; it's also responsible for much of the pollution that impacts human health and our environment. The energy & buildings workgroup is exploring ways in which Spokane can accomplish our 100% renewable energy goals, and promote innovation and economic development driven by a clean energy economy. More than half of our energy is consumed by buildings which is why we also focus on identify cost effective strategies to help property owners and renters lower their energy consumption and save money on their energy bills.
The Communication group exists to convey the work of the Sustainability Action Subcommittee. It also seeks to understand and impart the impact of climate change on the residents of Spokane. This group's goal is to create engagement and action around the issue of climate change.
Social inequities across our community play a significant role in the health outcomes of our citizens. Also referred to as social determinants of health, these disparities are influenced by education, income, race, access to healthcare, and even by the neighborhoods in which we live. Because of this, climate and extreme weather impact some residents more significantly than others. The purpose of our Environmental Justice and Equity Workgroup is to ensure the policies and practices recommended by the SAS address the needs of all our residents without creating unintended harm.
The Natural Environment group is devoted to the protection and restoration of the Spokane Community's natural ecosystems. Our efforts so far have been focused on growing our tree canopy, preserving green space, and protecting plants and wildlife.
This workgroup explores opportunities to create more sustainable urban planning practices. We address issues related to all levels of development, from small renovations to large multi-acre projects, with a goal of promoting development that reduces greenhouse gases, lowers consumption of limited resource, improves our tree canopy, encourages the use of sustainable transportation, and more efficiently uses public infrastructure to promote fiscal resiliency.
The initiatives outlined in our sustainability plan will require a skilled workforce and innovative leadership ready to position Spokane to take advantage of the economic opportunities offered by the green economy. These opportunities have the potential to boost our local economy, but gains will require investments to ensure no one gets left behind. The Sustainable Workforce Workgroup is focused on initiatives to transform and mobilize Spokane’s workforce as we transition to cleaner fuels and more sustainable means of production.
The transportation sector is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in Washington State with a majority of emissions coming from everyday driving trips. This workgroup focuses on ways to reduce pollution from the transportation sector by encouraging a transition to cleaner fuels such as electricity & biofuels and by making active transportation safer and more convenient for all ages and abilities. Active transportation options include walking, cycling, public transit, and micro-mobility options such as scooters.
This workgroup is researching practices and policies for the City to maximize composting and materials recovery, minimize landfill disposal, and enable the Waste-to-Energy Plant to function as cleanly and efficiently as possible. To support these objectives we are exploring ways to educate and encourage the public to adopt habits for purchasing, packaging, repairing, reusing, sorting and recycling the materials that pass through their homes and businesses.
Water Resources include natural and managed water systems that humans and other living things rely on to survive. Natural water systems encompass surface water (i.e., Spokane River and its tributaries, wetlands, lakes, and seasonal streams) and groundwater (i.e., the aquifer). This workgroup is focused on initiatives impacting our natural water systems and ensuring that all life continues to thrive in Spokane for generations to come.
The larger SAS is no longer having regular meetings. The SAS Steering Committee meets on the first Tuesday of each month. Visit the SAS Steering Committee page for more information.
What should the City do to address environmental or climate related issues? Participate in our Thought Exchange.
Kelly Thomas
808 W. Spokane Falls Boulevard,
Spokane, WA 99201-3335
kthomas@spokanecity.org
