King County and nine cities collaborate to respond to climate change

At its Monday meeting, March 19, the Metropolitan King County Council gave its unanimous approval to a unique County-City partnership designed to enhance the effectiveness of regional efforts on climate change and sustainability efforts.

In June 2011, King County and several of its cities introduced and pledged their support for a new partnership – the King County-Cities Climate Collaboration. The focus of the Collaboration is to pool both resources and knowledge in the effort to combat the impact of climate change. The adopted ordinance calls for the Executive to enter into an interlocal agreement finalizing the County’s participation in the Collaboration.

The County and the cities involved— Redmond, Renton, Tukwila, Shoreline, Seattle, Mercer Island, Kirkland, Issaquah and Snoqualmie—have pledged to commit funds and staffing to the Collaborative. They will be used to support and enhance projects and programs in focus areas such as green building, using and producing renewable energy, sustainability outreach and education, and alternative transportation.

“Climate change impacts the environment, health, and quality of life of our entire region regardless of jurisdictional boundaries, which is why cooperation and collaboration are critical,” said Councilmember Bob Ferguson, a co-sponsor of the legislation. “By working together, we can do more to address climate change and become more sustainable.”

As the collaboration develops, City and county staff will work to share local best practices and relevant resources, collaborate on related projects and programs, and support regional efforts such as the Growth Management Planning Council’s work to set countywide greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets.