Climate Commitment Planning

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Planning for Climate Change

Explore this page to learn more about how the City of Auburn is engaging in planning efforts to address the impacts of climate change and how you can get involved!

The City of Auburn is actively seeking community input to guide the development of its Climate Action Plan. This plan is designed to address climate-related challenges and to support Auburn’s commitment to sustainability, environmental stewardship, and resilience. By providing a framework for meeting the goals and policies within the city’s Climate Element of the Comprehensive Plan, the Climate Action Plan will help Auburn prepare for and respond to the impacts of climate change.


What is the Climate Element?

The Climate Element is a strategic section of Auburn’s Comprehensive Plan that outlines the city’s approach to addressing climate change. The element was adopted by the Auburn City Council on December 16, 2024, as part of the 2024 Periodic Comprehensive Plan Update process. It responds to House Bill 1181, passed by the Washington State Legislature in 2023, which requires cities to include climate-related goals, policies, and actions in their comprehensive plans by 2029.

Auburn has chosen to proactively plan for climate change now, rather than waiting until 2029. This proactive approach is critical in addressing the immediate impacts of climate change and ensuring the city is prepared for long-term climate response strategies.


Key Elements of the Climate Element:

The Climate Element consists of two major sub-elements: Resilience and Mitigation.

  1. Resilience Sub-Element: This sub-element focuses on preparing Auburn’s natural environment, infrastructure, and citizens for the impacts of climate change. It includes strategies for improving environmental health, protecting local services, and ensuring the city can adapt to increasing temperatures, severe storms, flooding, and other climate-related hazards. The resilience strategies will also address environmental justice, equity, and the importance of conserving natural areas.
  2. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Mitigation Sub-Element: This sub-element outlines the city’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It includes identifying major sources of emissions, setting reduction targets, and recommending specific actions to lower Auburn’s contribution to climate change.


Why does the Climate Element Matter?

Auburn, nestled in the Green River Valley with Mount Rainier in the background, is a vibrant community with a rich history and a strong industrial economy. However, the city is vulnerable to several climate-related hazards, including rising temperatures, extreme heat events, severe storms and flooding, and increased droughts and wildfires. These risks threaten the health, safety, and economic vitality of Auburn residents and the environment.

Through the Climate Element, Auburn can take action to reduce these risks and ensure that it remains a sustainable, livable, and safe place to live, work, and visit. The Climate Element not only aligns with state and regional requirements but also reflects Auburn’s values of sustainability, environmental stewardship, and economic resilience.


Climate Action Plan

Public Engagement for Auburn’s Climate Action Plan

With the Climate Element adopted, the next step is to work through implementation of the goals and policies identified in the element.


Community Participation:

As part of this important planning process, the City of Auburn is seeking community feedback on the goals, policies, and actions outlined in the Climate Element. Your input will help determine which priorities should be focused on first and how best to approach climate resilience and emissions mitigation in the years to come.

We invite you to participate in the Climate Action Plan Survey, where you can share your thoughts on how Auburn should prioritize climate-related goals and policies. Your feedback will directly influence the strategies and actions that will guide Auburn’s climate planning efforts for decades to come.

We also invite you to let us know which actions should be a priority. You can download and fill out the posters (found on the right-hand side of the page) and email it back to planning@auburnwa.gov or drop it off at the City of Auburn Permit Center (1 E Main St., 2nd Floor).

The full Climate Element, including detailed information about Auburn’s climate risks, hazards, and emissions reduction strategies, is available for review on this webpage. We encourage you to explore the document and provide feedback through the survey.


Take Action Today!

By participating in this survey, you’ll play an important role in shaping Auburn’s climate future. Together, we can ensure that Auburn remains a resilient, sustainable, and vibrant community in the face of climate change.


Survey Coming soon in early February 2025

~Your voice matters in helping Auburn plan for a climate-resilient future. Thank you for your participation!~







Planning for Climate Change

Explore this page to learn more about how the City of Auburn is engaging in planning efforts to address the impacts of climate change and how you can get involved!

The City of Auburn is actively seeking community input to guide the development of its Climate Action Plan. This plan is designed to address climate-related challenges and to support Auburn’s commitment to sustainability, environmental stewardship, and resilience. By providing a framework for meeting the goals and policies within the city’s Climate Element of the Comprehensive Plan, the Climate Action Plan will help Auburn prepare for and respond to the impacts of climate change.


What is the Climate Element?

The Climate Element is a strategic section of Auburn’s Comprehensive Plan that outlines the city’s approach to addressing climate change. The element was adopted by the Auburn City Council on December 16, 2024, as part of the 2024 Periodic Comprehensive Plan Update process. It responds to House Bill 1181, passed by the Washington State Legislature in 2023, which requires cities to include climate-related goals, policies, and actions in their comprehensive plans by 2029.

Auburn has chosen to proactively plan for climate change now, rather than waiting until 2029. This proactive approach is critical in addressing the immediate impacts of climate change and ensuring the city is prepared for long-term climate response strategies.


Key Elements of the Climate Element:

The Climate Element consists of two major sub-elements: Resilience and Mitigation.

  1. Resilience Sub-Element: This sub-element focuses on preparing Auburn’s natural environment, infrastructure, and citizens for the impacts of climate change. It includes strategies for improving environmental health, protecting local services, and ensuring the city can adapt to increasing temperatures, severe storms, flooding, and other climate-related hazards. The resilience strategies will also address environmental justice, equity, and the importance of conserving natural areas.
  2. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Mitigation Sub-Element: This sub-element outlines the city’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It includes identifying major sources of emissions, setting reduction targets, and recommending specific actions to lower Auburn’s contribution to climate change.


Why does the Climate Element Matter?

Auburn, nestled in the Green River Valley with Mount Rainier in the background, is a vibrant community with a rich history and a strong industrial economy. However, the city is vulnerable to several climate-related hazards, including rising temperatures, extreme heat events, severe storms and flooding, and increased droughts and wildfires. These risks threaten the health, safety, and economic vitality of Auburn residents and the environment.

Through the Climate Element, Auburn can take action to reduce these risks and ensure that it remains a sustainable, livable, and safe place to live, work, and visit. The Climate Element not only aligns with state and regional requirements but also reflects Auburn’s values of sustainability, environmental stewardship, and economic resilience.


Climate Action Plan

Public Engagement for Auburn’s Climate Action Plan

With the Climate Element adopted, the next step is to work through implementation of the goals and policies identified in the element.


Community Participation:

As part of this important planning process, the City of Auburn is seeking community feedback on the goals, policies, and actions outlined in the Climate Element. Your input will help determine which priorities should be focused on first and how best to approach climate resilience and emissions mitigation in the years to come.

We invite you to participate in the Climate Action Plan Survey, where you can share your thoughts on how Auburn should prioritize climate-related goals and policies. Your feedback will directly influence the strategies and actions that will guide Auburn’s climate planning efforts for decades to come.

We also invite you to let us know which actions should be a priority. You can download and fill out the posters (found on the right-hand side of the page) and email it back to planning@auburnwa.gov or drop it off at the City of Auburn Permit Center (1 E Main St., 2nd Floor).

The full Climate Element, including detailed information about Auburn’s climate risks, hazards, and emissions reduction strategies, is available for review on this webpage. We encourage you to explore the document and provide feedback through the survey.


Take Action Today!

By participating in this survey, you’ll play an important role in shaping Auburn’s climate future. Together, we can ensure that Auburn remains a resilient, sustainable, and vibrant community in the face of climate change.


Survey Coming soon in early February 2025

~Your voice matters in helping Auburn plan for a climate-resilient future. Thank you for your participation!~






Page published: 29 Jan 2025, 08:36 AM