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King County to begin implementing bold five-year plan for climate action

Summary

On October 21, King County Councilmembers voted to adopt the 2025-2030 Strategic Climate Action Plan (SCAP) and Climate and Workforce Strategy, launching the official start of the implementation process for King County and partners.

Story


King County Councilmembers approved the 2025-2030 Strategic Climate Action Plan and 2025 Climate and Workforce Strategy on October 21, formally adopting the plan that Executive Shannon Braddock announced in June.

"This Strategic Climate Action Plan advances ambitious climate action and builds on years of work to advocate for strong policies that deliver solutions and real benefits, especially for our frontline communities,” Executive Braddock said. “I am grateful for the Council’s partnership. Together, alongside community and partners, we are preparing for climate impacts while also building stronger, more resilient ecosystems.”

The plan prioritizes community-driven solutions, strengthens partnerships to scale up action, and introduces nine “flagship” outcomes to outline how these efforts will make a tangible difference for people and places across King County.

“Thank you to our many partners, who advocated and provided their time and energy to make sure this plan offered a streamlined, accessible vision for a healthier, safer future where everyone can thrive,” King County Climate Director Marissa Aho said. “The new flagships in this plan offer a results-driven vision, and we are excited to work with existing and new partners to make them a reality.”

King County communities are already facing the impacts of climate change, from warmer air and heavier rain events to declining long-term snowpack and changing ocean chemistry. Actions in the 2025 SCAP will help communities prepare for climate impacts on health, homes, businesses, and the environment, while also building stronger, more resilient ecosystems. 

"King County continues to lead the nation and the world in local government planning for climate change," King County Councilmember De'Sean Quinn said. "We can be proud of this plan for its comprehensive approach. This plan provides a clear path forward and answers the question our youth are asking us every day: 'What are you doing for our future?'"

All of those actions are built around the following flagships:

  • Put Frontline Communities First: Investing in community leadership, local partnerships, and community preparedness to strengthen frontline community resilience and support community-driven climate action.
  • Safe, Healthy, and Climate-Ready Homes and Buildings: Fostering a transition to clean energy; strengthening housing and workplaces to withstand extreme heat, wildfire smoke, and flooding, while ensuring affordability and preventing displacement.
  • Connected and Accessible Transportation: Expanding sustainable mobility options like transit, biking, and walking to reduce car dependency while improving access to jobs, schools, and services.
  • Economic Mobility and Career-Building Opportunities: Ensuring that the economic opportunities created by the clean energy transition benefit historically excluded workers and local communities.
  • Fresh, Local Food for Everyone: Strengthening food security and sustainable agriculture by supporting farmers, reducing food waste, and increasing access to fresh, healthy food.
  • Design Out Waste: Redesigning our systems to reduce consumption, prevent waste, and increase the reuse of valuable materials.
  • Clean Air, Water, and Healthy Ecosystems: Protecting and restoring forests, waterways, and green spaces to improve climate resilience, public health, and biodiversity.
  • Reliable and Future-Ready Infrastructure: Changing how we design, build, and maintain roads, utilities, and public services to withstand climate extremes while ensuring equitable access to essential infrastructure.
  • Collaborative and Community-Led Solutions: Centering climate action and equity in climate governance by ensuring frontline communities, tribes, and local organizations shape and lead climate solutions.


Community partnership is key to reaching these goals. King County is grateful to all of the organizations that offered frontline community insight and expertise to ensure actions drive toward results, including the Climate Equity Community Task Force, Climate Equity workgroup, King County-Cities Climate Collaboration (K4C), Puget Sound Climate Preparedness Collaborative, and Coalition for Climate Careers (C3).

The SCAP builds on years of work to advocate for strong policies and establish processes to deliver solutions that provide real benefits for communities. Washington’s climate policies are some of the strongest in the nation, providing tools and resources for King County to reduce on-road emissions, improve building resilience, and empower other clean, healthy improvements. Now is the time to act on those opportunities.

Along with challenges, climate action presents opportunities for communities – including living-wage career paths to help build a cleaner, healthier future. The Climate and Workforce Strategy paired with the SCAP outlines a path to ensure frontline communities have access to these roles, building a more skilled and diverse workforce across the career spectrum.

Community partners are invited to get involved with the implementation of the SCAP. To learn more, visit kingcounty.gov/SCAP.

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