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Engage: Learn about the City’s current climate action work and ask questions on our Engage Bellingham website.
Climate Work Updates
Last updated December 2021. Below is a list of links with notable updates related to the City’s climate action work, including staff presentations at City Council meetings. Visit our meeting materials section for a list of all Council meetings.
- December 13, 2021 Council meeting – City staff present proposed changes to Bellingham’s building code to require electrification and energy efficiency standards for certain buildings. Read more about the proposal starting on page 26 of the City Council packet for this meeting.
- November 22, 2021 Council meeting – Council and City staff discuss Mayor Seth Fleetwood’s proposal to add a Climate Action Fund to the November 2022 ballot for voter consideration.
- November 5, 2021 press release – City adds more electric and hybrid vehicles to its fleet.
- October 18, 2021 Climate News email update – City and community host another successful ALL IN for Climate Action Week; Mayor Seth Fleetwood proposes new climate investments.
- June 21, 2021 Council meeting – City staff present a progress update on the 2021 Climate Implementation Plan.
- February 8, 2021 Council meeting – City staff present the 2021 Implementation Plan, which details the items from the Climate Action Plan that City staff will be working on in 2021.
- February 5, 2021 press release – Bellingham receives a $1.5 million grant for electric vehicle infrastructure; the new Skookumchuck Wind Farm near Centralia is producing renewable energy on behalf of the City; the City is partnering with Puget Sound Energy (PSE) on its Community Solar Program and is selected to receive a new solar array on top of its Water Treatment Plant.
- November 23, 2020 Council meeting – Council approves a Resolution to amend the Climate Action Plan.
- November 9, 2020 Council meeting – City staff present the second Filter #2 Report for the Climate Policy Approval Process to Council.
- September 14, 2020 Council meeting – City staff present the first Filter #2 Report for the Climate Policy Approval Process to Council.
- June 8, 2020 Council meeting – City staff share the results of the first step of the Climate Policy Approval Process, Filter #1, with Council.
- April 27, 2020 Council meeting – City staff present a draft Climate Policy Approval Process to Council.
Climate Action Committee
In January 2020, Bellingham City Council formed a Climate Action Committee to meet regularly to discuss climate action. Agendas and video recordings for all of these Committee meetings can be found in the Council meeting materials section.
Climate Change Beliefs are Changing
Climate action has become a priority for many jurisdictions, including Bellingham, as concern about climate change has grown among community members and requests for more climate action have increased.
Research by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication has found a significant change in Americans’ beliefs about global warming and climate change over the past several years. The researchers categorize Americans into six groups based on their beliefs about climate change, called “Global Warming’s Six Americas”.
Data collected by researchers in April 2020 shows that the number of Americans who are alarmed or concerned about climate change has increased by 10% and represents more than half of the population. As concern for climate change grows, climate action will continue to grow as a priority for jurisdictions across America.
