The climate crisis is not going away anytime soon, but our response to Covid-19 can help us reimagine how our society could function as we tackle the climate crisis. Stakeholders participating in the Methow Valley Climate Action Plan planning process have discussed many of the solutions we are turning to now due to Covid-19 (such as buying local, sharing with neighbors, driving less etc.). These solutions will also help our community adapt and potentially thrive during the climate crisis.

Over the past few months local community leaders across different sectors (health, natural systems, infrastructure, agriculture, economy) have focused on prioritizing solutions to the potential climate impacts that were identified during the November launch meeting and the subsequent survey. The next step is to start drafting the plan and identifying ways to implement the climate solutions that our community has highlighted as priorities. These solutions range from providing spaces for community members to escape the smoke during wildfire season, to sourcing grant money to help local businesses during climate-related natural disasters and everything in between!

Our Planning Team is close to completing the emissions study data gathering process. This study will help our community identify innovative ways to cut our local greenhouse gas emissions. We look forward to sharing the results with you (virtually) soon!