Clark County to host interactive community workshop on climate resilience

Members of the Clark County community are invited to participate in a Clark County Climate Project Community Workshop on Resilience. This event is part of a series of activities throughout the year that will inform the county’s new climate chapter for its comprehensive plan.

With the passage of HB 1181 during the 2023 Washington state legislative session, Clark County is now required to add a climate change element into its Comprehensive Plan. The new climate chapter will include actions the county can take over the next 20 years to improve community resilience, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and benefit overburdened communities that will be disproportionately affected by the compounding environmental impacts and natural hazards due to climate change.

This workshop will feature a community report on potential climate impacts and community input to date, an expert guest speaker, and interactive discussions. Together, we will explore strategies to adapt to the changing climate and create a more resilient future for Clark County.

The event is set for 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, June 22, at Sarah J. Anderson Elementary School, 2215 N.E. 104th St., Vancouver. Doors open at 8:30 a.m.

Community members will have additional opportunities to provide feedback on this project later in the year, including taking a survey in late summer to help gauge community member priorities on reducing greenhouse gas pollution in Clark County, and a community workshop in fall 2024 to gather public ideas about how to address greenhouse gas emissions reduction in the unincorporated county.

In 2025, the public also will have an opportunity to submit comments or testify to the Planning Commission and County Council about the county’s proposed climate chapter for the Comprehensive Growth Management Plan.

To learn more about county climate planning, sign up for project updates, or submit a comment, visit clark.wa.gov/community-planning/climate-change-planning.

The county’s Climate Project is being funded by a state grant. The Washington Department of Commerce climate planning grant is supported with funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act (CCA). The CCA supports Washington’s climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. Information about the CCA is available at climate.wa.gov.