See our latest Climate chapter updates and provide feedback.
Climate: Existing concept, to be emphasized in a new chapter
The City of Bellingham has long been committed to working towards our vision of a sustainable, equitable, and healthy community where current and future generations can thrive. In response to rapid climate change caused by human activity, our city has already taken bold and immediate action to reduce and prepare for the human health and environmental impacts of climate change. Learn all about Bellingham’s climate action and our key strategies here.
Bellingham’s 2016 comprehensive plan includes a number of goals and policies related to climate change mitigation and adaptation in several chapters. This is because climate change is relevant to every topic in the comprehensive plan: housing, land use, transportation, economic development, and more. Now, the state is mandating that cities across Washington also take action. House Bill (HB) 1181 (2023) requires the inclusion of a climate element in the comprehensive plan, that focuses on both climate change mitigation and adaptation. Its main impacts on comprehensive planning include:
- A new requirement for a climate change element, consisting of a greenhouse gas emissions reduction sub-element and a resiliency sub-element (these could be located within a separate chapter or spread throughout the plan).
- Requirements to address the impacts of climate change and reduce both greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle miles traveled (Bellingham has already adopted a Climate Protection Action Plan that addresses many of these requirements).
- Requirements to equitably enhance climate resiliency (Whatcom County has adopted a Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan that addresses many of these requirements).
What changes will happen in the Bellingham Plan?
Fortunately, the City has already adopted several goals and policies in our 2016 Comprehensive Plan related to climate change mitigation and adaptation, and many climate initiatives or actions are already underway. Therefore, this update will mostly focus on ensuring compliance with HB 1181 and building upon our existing framework by including any relevant goals and policies that are missing from our existing comprehensive plan – especially related to climate resiliency. “Climate” will be a new stand-alone chapter in the Bellingham Plan, although climate-related goals and policies will still be prevalent as an important topic across all chapters.
Related Past Events:
The climate topic was prevalent at most of our Bellingham Plan Open House Events. At these events attendees heard about new climate-related requirements in the Bellingham Plan and how climate is essential to our community’s future vision. Choices about our future land use, housing, and transportation (and more) are all informed by our community’s dedication to a sustainable, equitable, and healthy community – now and into the future. See all past event descriptions and materials here.
The Bellingham Public Library also partnered with WWU's Sustainability Engagement Institute and Center for Community Learning to bring our community together to talk about sustainability at four different forums in April and May, 2024. Participants gathered to share hopes and challenges related to creating a more sustainable region and meet others doing inspirational work.
See our latest Climate chapter updates and provide feedback.
Climate: Existing concept, to be emphasized in a new chapter
The City of Bellingham has long been committed to working towards our vision of a sustainable, equitable, and healthy community where current and future generations can thrive. In response to rapid climate change caused by human activity, our city has already taken bold and immediate action to reduce and prepare for the human health and environmental impacts of climate change. Learn all about Bellingham’s climate action and our key strategies here.
Bellingham’s 2016 comprehensive plan includes a number of goals and policies related to climate change mitigation and adaptation in several chapters. This is because climate change is relevant to every topic in the comprehensive plan: housing, land use, transportation, economic development, and more. Now, the state is mandating that cities across Washington also take action. House Bill (HB) 1181 (2023) requires the inclusion of a climate element in the comprehensive plan, that focuses on both climate change mitigation and adaptation. Its main impacts on comprehensive planning include:
- A new requirement for a climate change element, consisting of a greenhouse gas emissions reduction sub-element and a resiliency sub-element (these could be located within a separate chapter or spread throughout the plan).
- Requirements to address the impacts of climate change and reduce both greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle miles traveled (Bellingham has already adopted a Climate Protection Action Plan that addresses many of these requirements).
- Requirements to equitably enhance climate resiliency (Whatcom County has adopted a Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan that addresses many of these requirements).
What changes will happen in the Bellingham Plan?
Fortunately, the City has already adopted several goals and policies in our 2016 Comprehensive Plan related to climate change mitigation and adaptation, and many climate initiatives or actions are already underway. Therefore, this update will mostly focus on ensuring compliance with HB 1181 and building upon our existing framework by including any relevant goals and policies that are missing from our existing comprehensive plan – especially related to climate resiliency. “Climate” will be a new stand-alone chapter in the Bellingham Plan, although climate-related goals and policies will still be prevalent as an important topic across all chapters.
Related Past Events:
The climate topic was prevalent at most of our Bellingham Plan Open House Events. At these events attendees heard about new climate-related requirements in the Bellingham Plan and how climate is essential to our community’s future vision. Choices about our future land use, housing, and transportation (and more) are all informed by our community’s dedication to a sustainable, equitable, and healthy community – now and into the future. See all past event descriptions and materials here.
The Bellingham Public Library also partnered with WWU's Sustainability Engagement Institute and Center for Community Learning to bring our community together to talk about sustainability at four different forums in April and May, 2024. Participants gathered to share hopes and challenges related to creating a more sustainable region and meet others doing inspirational work.
