Agreement with Cascadia Consulting Group
to Develop the 2035 Climate Strategy
Council Sustainability Committee: September 4, 2024
Danielle Lee, Chief Sustainability and Resiliency Officer Lauren Anderson, Sustainability Analyst II
Recommendation
4 Recommend the City Council authorize the City
Manager or designee to execute a professional
services agreement with Cascadia Consulting
Group to develop a 2035 Climate Strategy in a
not-to-exceed amount of $433,234.
5 Background
• Adopted resolution to be
carbon neutral by 2045
• Exploring acceleration of
goal to 2035
CLIMATE GOALS
• Climate vulnerability and
resilience plan
• Decarbonization strategy
SAP-4 ACTIONS COUNCIL
WORK PLAN
• Decarbonization Strategy
• Vulnerability Assessment
6 Selection Process
MARCH 11
• RFP Issued
APRIL 16
• 6 Proposals
received
APRIL-MAY
• Proposal
evaluation
• Interviews
• Reference
Checks
MAY-JUNE
• Cascadia
Consulting
Group
selected
Consulting Team
7 • Experienced in planning for
climate mitigation and
adaptation and other
sustainability topics
• Recent work includes projects to
develop Climate Action Plans for
over a dozen local agencies
• Subconsultant
• Specializes in process facilitation,
multicultural engagement, and
community outreach planning
• Extensive experience engaging
disadvantaged communities
Climate Strategy Overview
8 • Identify actions to meet City’s
decarbonization and resiliency goals
• Actions to be prioritized by various criteria
• Build upon previous plans and efforts
Result will be a plan that provides a menu of options for implementation over the first 5 years and a pathway to decarbonization by 2035
Project Scope of Work
9 1. Conduct Project Management
2. Develop the Project Approach
3. Lead Outreach and Engagement with an Equity Focus
4. Climate Vulnerability Assessment
5. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Analysis
6. Develop a 2035 Climate Strategy that Integrates
Decarbonization and Climate Resiliency
7. Finalize Climate Strategy and City Council Adoption
8. On-Call Services for Implementation Support
Community Engagement
10 Community
surveys
Workshops/webinars
Focus groups
Strong equity focus throughout process
Decarbonization Strategies
11 • Conduct wedge
analyses
• Identify strategies
to decarbonize by
2035
• Build on existing
decarbonization
work
Example wedge analysis for another jurisdiction
Vulnerability Assessments and Resiliency Strategies
1212
Increasing Storm
Frequency and Severity Extreme heat
Drought
Sea level rise &
flooding
Air quality
Social vulnerability
Anticipated City Council and CSC Meetings
Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2
2024 2025 2026
CSC
Consultant
Agreement Council
Consultant
Agreement
CSC
Community
Engagement
Plan
CSC
• Draft
Vulnerability
Assessments
• Draft Ranking
Criteria
CSC
• Engagement
Results
• Draft
Climate
Strategy
Council
Draft Climate
Strategy
Council
Final Climate
Strategy
13 Does the CSC have any
feedback on the overall
proposed scope of work
for the 2035 Climate
Strategy?
Discussion Question 1
14 Does the CSC have any initial
feedback or
recommendations before
staff and the consulting team
start developing the
community engagement
plan?
Discussion Question 2
15 Does the CSC have any
feedback on the anticipated
City Council and CSC
meetings to discuss the
2035 Climate Strategy?
Discussion Question 3
16