Bellingham Climate Action Research
Climate Action Implementation Planning
Bellingham reduces emissions with a step-by-step implementation plan
Client
City of Bellingham
Population
96,000
Schedule
2022-2023


The Problem
The City of Bellingham’s climate initiatives fall short of achieving the emissions reduction target the City set in 2021.
The Problem
How can the City of Bellingham fast track its emission reduction goals?
-85%
target emissions reduction over 2000 levels by 2050
+116%
increase in emissions over 2000 levels in 2019
The Solution
To help Bellingham figure out how to meet its climate goals, SSG conducted technical analysis and community engagement to develop step-by-step plans for Bellingham to procure more renewable energy, decarbonize buildings, and increase EV adoption.
The final report serves as a practical playbook for climate action, outlining the partnerships, legal frameworks, staffing, and funding needed to bring the plan to life. If Bellingham implements the most ambitious actions, the community could save nearly $2 billion by 2050. On the other hand, inaction could cost up to $1.7 billion in cumulative damages from climate change, half of which could be avoided with bold action. Because marginalized communities are most impacted by climate impacts, ambitious climate actions also support more equitable outcomes, including energy cost savings particularly for the city’s significant population of renters and low-income households.
The Outcome
The research presented Bellingham with 7 key integrated actions to achieve their emissions reduction target. Implementing the actions will result in:
54%
reduction in building energy costs
$2.1B
cumulative savings
17k
person-years of local and regional employment
*between 2021 and 2050, as compared to a business-as-planned scenario
Outcome
Key Takeaways
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