Environmental Sustainability

As Redmond works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it must also proactively prepare for a changing climate. From more extreme heat events, to increased precipitation and flooding, our region is already feeling the effects of climate change.

The City worked in partnership with experts to complete a climate vulnerability risk assessment to inform Redmond’s climate preparedness efforts. The risk assessment included two elements -

• The Climate Vulnerability Assessment Report provides a high-level summary of climate change, and its potential effect on Redmond’s population, neighborhoods and business centers, infrastructure, and services. It identifies vulnerabilities as well as planning, programing, and partnership strategies to enhance Redmond’s resilience.
  • Climate Vulnerability Assessment Report - Executive Summary
  • Climate Vulnerability Assessment Report and Appendices
• The goal of the Climate Vulnerability Index (CVI) is to create a geospatial tool that synthesizes key climate, environmental, and community data to inform the City’s work. The CVI sums over 30 indicators of climate vulnerability and identifies which census block groups in Redmond have more or less vulnerability regarding extreme heat or extreme precipitation, relative to other areas in Redmond. It is a planning level tool to help Redmond staff investigate areas in more detail, and then better understand the nuance of a particular community. Explore the Climate Vulnerability Index to learn more!

Do you have questions or comments on the Vulnerability Assessment? We’d love to hear from you! Comments are being accepted through March 9, 2022.

On November 1, 2021, the Redmond City Council adopted the City of Redmond Operations Zero Carbon Strategy. The Strategy outlines the City’s approach to reduce emissions and shift City operations to a low carbon future. It's driven by the vision of the Climate Emergency Declaration and the Environmental Sustainability Action Plan (ESAP), calling on the City to lead on climate action and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to net-zero by 2030. Both the Zero Carbon Strategy and the community-wide ESAP are guided by leading science that shows our climate is rapidly changing, and now is the time for bold climate action.

The full Strategy can be downloaded here.

With the adoption of the Environmental Sustainability Action Plan (ESAP) and Climate Emergency Declaration, the City established an aggressive goal of carbon neutrality by 2030 for City operations. In support of this goal, the City has developed a draft City of Redmond Operations Zero Carbon Strategy. The draft Strategy outlines an ambitious approach to reduce emissions and shift City operations to a low carbon future.

The draft Strategy includes a baseline greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory and a technical analysis of the actions necessary to work towards carbon neutrality by 2030. The approach maximizes climate benefits, increases accountability, encourages cost savings, improves health, and demonstrates leadership. It directly supports implementation of the ESAP, Action C3.4, and the 2020 Climate Emergency Declaration (plan development objective).

The draft Strategy quantifies a path to reduce GHG emissions by 75% by 2030 through direct actions such as fleet and facility electrification, investments in clean energy, energy efficiency upgrades, and more. Remaining emissions in 2030 stem from the City’s vehicle fleet and employee commuting. Technology advances and offsets will be necessary to meet the Strategy goals.

Council will review the draft Strategy during the October 12, 2021 Study Session. Meeting materials can be found on the City's website.

The City of Redmond has created a new Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee and is seeking candidates with a broad range of expertise and perspectives to apply to participate. The Advisory Committee will advise staff through the ongoing implementation of the City’s Environmental Sustainability Action Plan.

Desirable qualities of a committee member include expertise or a strong interest in climate and sustainability topics, a willingness to learn, and a passion for working to strengthen the City’s effectiveness as it works towards its climate and sustainability goals.

The fourteen-member Advisory Committee will meet every-other-month at a day and time still to be determined. All committee members are volunteers, and the majority must live or work in Redmond.

To learn more about the Advisory Committee or to apply, please go to www.redmond.gov/1524. City staff will review the first round of applications the week of January 25. Interested individuals are encouraged to apply by 10 p.m. on January 24, 2021. Positions will remain open until filled.

For questions regarding the Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee volunteer positions, please contact Jenny Lybeck at jlybeck@redmond.gov.

Please join the City of Redmond for an informational update on the City’s climate and sustainability work. We’ll briefly review the Environmental Sustainability Action Plan adoption, Council’s Climate Emergency Declaration, the proposed 2021/2022 Sustainability Budget Offer, and discuss next steps for the City.

When: November 12, 2020, from 11:00-11:45

Who: Redmond Environmental Sustainability Action Plan Stakeholders

Why: Informational update on Plan adoption and next steps

Where: This meeting date has passed.

UPDATE: Meeting slides are available for download in the Document Library on the right side of the window.

The Redmond City Council approved a Climate Emergency Declaration (Declaration) during the October 6, 2020, Council meeting. The Declaration establishes a goal of carbon neutrality for City operations by 2030 and other key climate and sustainability commitments.

The Declaration was developed collaboratively by the City Council and highlights 13 key objectives, including a goal of zero waste of resources across City operations, adoption of green building standards for new City facilities and new construction, and a commitment to prepare a climate vulnerability assessment.

The Declaration will be integrated into the Environmental Sustainability Action Plan and serves to highlight and expedite key Council policy priorities as the City begins implementation of the Plan.

More information on the discussion can be found on the October 6, 2020 Parks and Human Services agenda.

The Redmond City Council unanimously approved the Environmental Sustainability Action Plan on September 15, 2020. This foundational plan was developed in partnership with community members and creates a 30-year blueprint to support the City’s climate and sustainability goals.

The plan includes a commitment to reduce community-wide emissions by 80% by 2050, with an aspirational community-wide greenhouse gas reduction target of carbon neutrality by 2050. It identifies 24 strategies and 169 actions to work towards these goals. Actions are categorized into six key sustainability focus areas – Transportation and Land Use, Buildings and Energy, Material Management and Waste, Natural Systems, Water Management, and Climate Change and Resilience.

“As Redmond continues to grow, fostering a healthy and sustainable community is one of our top priorities,” said Mayor Angela Birney. “The Environmental Sustainability Action Plan is our community’s roadmap to preserve our natural resources and create a healthy, equitable, and resilient Redmond for all. This action plan puts us on a journey towards an inclusive future powered by clean energy, clean and diverse transportation options, less waste in our landfills, and a thriving natural environment.”

The Environmental Sustainability Action Plan focuses on impactful and meaningful opportunities to address environmental impacts and foster resilience. The plan brings together activities and objectives from related City, community, and partner organization plans and programs, including Redmond’s Community Strategic Plan and the King County-Cities Climate Collaboration (K4C), of which Redmond is a founding member.

Council also made a motion to prepare a climate emergency declaration which will be discussed during the September 22, 2020 Study Session.

To learn more about the City of Redmond’s commitment to environmental sustainability and to read the newly adopted plan, visit the City’s website at www.redmond.gov/1461.

Thank you for your continued engagement in the Sustainability Plan development. During the August 11 Council Study Session, Redmond staff presented the results and feedback from the Online Open House and proposed changes to the Plan as a result of community feedback. Key updates to the Plan include:

• Increasing the Plan’s carbon reduction target from 80% reduction by 2050 to an aspirational carbon neutrality by 2050
• The addition of multiple actions to increase emphasis on land use planning opportunities
• The addition of an action to support climate equity work during implementation

The full list of changes and key materials covered during the August 11 Study Session can be found below:

• August 11, 2020 Staff Memo (download here)
• August 11, 2020 Study Session Presentation (download here)
• Public Comments and Proposed Changes (download here)

Next Steps

• September 8, 2PW Committee of the Whole: Bring the updated final Sustainability Plan to Council
• September 15, Regular Business Meeting: Council to consider adoption of the final Environmental Sustainability Action Plan

The draft Environmental Sustainability Action Plan Online Open House is officially live.

Redmond is hosting an Online Open House for the City’s first ever Environmental Sustainability Action Plan. The plan covers a variety of topics from clean energy and water conservation, to green job creation and public health improvements. The final plan will reflect and bring together City and community priorities, current activities, and vision for the future. We're excited to hear your thoughts reactions to the draft Environmental Sustainability Action Plan!

Click here to share your thoughts and ask questions.

Climate change is affecting water systems in Washington, and with nearly 70 percent of the state’s population living near the coastline, it will likely affect life in the state in the coming decades.