PORTLAND, OR-After more than a year of analysis and feedback,the Portland Metro Climate Prosperity Project has released a draftGreenprint for the seven-county metro region. The Greenprintis a call to action to simultaneously strengthen the regionaleconomy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and maintain a focusedleadership position in the global green economy.
“The Climate Prosperity Greenprint reinforces the uniqueopportunity we have to invest in our strengths; to create theeconomic future we want through global leadership in the rapidlygrowing clean economy,” says Brad Zenger of Pivotal Investments, ina prepared statement. “We need a shared commitment bybusiness, local government and educational institutions to investin that future.”
The Portland Metro Climate Prosperity Project is one of four pilotregions of the national Climate Prosperity Project, an initiativesupported by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. “The Portlandregion can no longer afford to work without a strong regionalplatform on which to frame collaborative efforts,” says Rob Bennettof the Portland Sustainability Institute. “The region’sefforts must align to grow competitive advantages, scale up effortsand significantly reduce environmental impacts.”
PoSI is one of 14 organizations making up the working group that isspearheading the Climate Prosperity Project for the Portlandregion. Others include Greenlight Greater Portland, Nike,Metro, Oregon Business Council, Lane Powell, Climate Solutions, DSWCollective, Portland Bureau of Planning & Sustainability,Worksystems Inc., Regional Partners, Formos, Oregon Institute ofTechnology and Portland Development Commission.
The working group, formed in 2009 to develop the Greenprint,consulted more than 150 business, higher education, and workforceleaders in developing the Greenprint’s six actions. The groupwill work in parallel with the outreach effort to create aCEO-level leadership council to guide implementation and trackprogress.
The release of the draft Greenprint marks the opening of a publiccomment period for the effort. Over the next month, theClimate Prosperity Working Group is soliciting comments andfeedback on the draft. The Working Group seeks refinementsand support of the Greenprint’s six priorities: Establish financemechanisms for green innovation; Accelerate energy and resourceefficiency; Commercialize green technologies; Cultivate theregional clean tech cluster; Develop a pipeline of green talent;and build support and communicate results.