TACKLING THE CLIMATE CRISIS
After years of collective advocacy on behalf of a broad coalition of businesses, non-profits, community organizations, and individual Oregonians, Governor Kate Brown made history in March 2020 by taking sweeping executive action to address the climate crisis.
Touted by advocates as the Oregon Climate Action Plan, or “OCAP,” executive order 20-04 does three big things:
  1. Establishes important new state targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 45% below 1990 levels by 2035, and by at least 80% by 2050.
  2. Requires state agencies to help achieve those emissions reduction goals and prioritize climate change and impacted communities in their decision-making.
  3. Provides specific directives to reduce emissions from our state’s largest polluters and protect our most vulnerable communities.
While the executive order itself is worth celebrating, the work is far from over. Strong, effective implementation of these directives is key to avoiding the most catastrophic climate impacts and ensuring an equitable transition to a clean energy future. That’s why OEC and our partners have formed a vibrant new coalition to hold state agencies accountable. Through direct agency advocacy, strategic communications, and grassroots action, OEC and our partners in the Oregon Climate Action Plan (OCAP) coalition work tirelessly to secure the best possible outcomes for our climate, our communities, and our economy.
HOW OCAP MOVES US FORWARD
As we look to address the parallel crises of public health, systemic racism and climate change, we must seize the opportunity to build back better. By reducing climate emissions across Oregon’s biggest polluting sectors, OCAP gives us the opportunity to create good paying jobs and healthy communities across the state.  OEC works with the OCAP coalition to advance positive climate outcomes in six main areas: transportation, buildings, energy, industry, health, and lands.

Transportation

The transportation sector is responsible for roughly 40% of Oregon’s total greenhouse gas emissions, and is full of inequities. By increasing the number of electric vehicles on the road, reducing the carbon intensity of fuels under the Clean Fuels Program, and embedding climate and equity into land use and transportation planning, OCAP provides an opportunity to move Oregon toward a future that is cleaner, safer, more equitable, and more efficient. More Here

Buildings

By improving the energy efficiency of our buildings and appliances, OCAP will provide healthier, more comfortable spaces for Oregonians to live and work, and reduce energy burden by saving customers money on utility bills– all while reducing climate emissions from the second most polluting sector in Oregon. More Here

Energy

Climate pollution from the electricity sector is on the rise in Oregon, and big energy investment decisions will be made over the next few years. Increased use of renewable energy sources and better energy efficiency will help ensure a diversified energy supply, more jobs, cleaner air and healthier communities across Oregon. More Here

Industry

OCAP directs the Department of Environmental Quality to cap and reduce emissions from large stationary sources and major fossil fuels emitters. In doing so, OCAP encourages innovation, incentivizing the adoption of new technologies and processes to reduce emissions across Oregon’s industrial sector. More Here

Health

OCAP recognizes that climate change is a public health crisis, and one that disproportionately impacts BIPOC, low-income and other frontline communities. OEC and the OCAP coalition are working to promote climate policies that provide public health co-benefits, and to secure strong protections for frontline workers from climate hazards. More Here

Lands

From how we grow our food to how we manage our forests, the way we use our land has the potential to seal our climate fate. Recognizing the vital role that natural and working lands play in carbon sequestration and climate mitigation, OCAP directs Oregon’s natural resource agencies to produce a proposal for carbon sequestration and storage by Oregon’s natural and working landscapes. More Here

WHAT WE'RE DOING

OEC and our partners have come together to build a strong, diverse coalition to maximize climate and community benefits through OCAP implementation. The OCAP coalition includes partners representing environmental justice, labor, youth, public health and business communities to ensure that our state agencies produce the most climate-protective and equitable outcomes for Oregon’s families and future.

The OCAP coalition organizes our advocacy to align with the executive order’s six major issue areas: transportation, cap and reduce, clean energy, clean buildings, public health, and natural and working lands. Each area of work is co-led by an environmental or climate-focused organization in partnership with a frontline or community-based organization, with the goal of ensuring that OCAP maximizes environmental integrity and equity outcomes.

Each area of work involves both policy and grassroots components to support engagement efforts around OCAP implementation. This work includes:

  • Direct agency advocacy, such as reviewing proposed plans, crafting policy recommendations, and advocating at rulemakings.
  • Ongoing communications efforts to educate and engage the public and our membership around all of these agency processes, and
  • Continued work with the legislature to move the ball forward on climate. 

Since the signing of the executive order, the OCAP coalition has: 

  • Established and engaged in 6 advocacy tables, supporting work to advance equitable climate protections from 16 different state agencies, boards and commissions.
  • Submitted 25+ formal comment letters signed by as many as 50 partner organizations.
  • Testified and/or attended 50+ state agency or commission meetings to push the state to go farther and faster on OCAP implementation.
  • Participated in 100+ coalition meetings (and counting!) to strategize and coordinate on rulemaking advocacy, policy recommendations and communications.
STAY ENGAGED
Want to be part of the solution? Robust public engagement by Oregonians like you can help ensure the strongest possible outcomes for our climate, our communities and our economy under OCAP. Click here to receive updates on the Oregon Climate Action Plan and related opportunities to advocate for climate action in Oregon!

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