question 9: Climate change

This is an exciting story for Portland." The Portland Clean Energy Fund has generated over $1 billion to combat climate change. I view these investments in two key areas: reducing carbon emissions and building resilience.

Transportation alone accounts for about 40% of the carbon we produce, so there's a clear opportunity here to push Portland toward meaningful carbon neutrality in the coming decades. However, we need to spend these dollars more effectively. Currently, the Clean Energy Fund is spending around $1,000 per ton of carbon, which is simply too high if we want to see the results Portland needs.

The second area is resilience. No one in Portland should freeze to death or die of heat stroke. We have the ability to target funds in ways that keep people safer during extreme weather, while also improving our city's overall energy efficiency. For example, we can plant more trees to reduce urban heat islands.

Portland has the opportunity to rise to the challenge of climate change and lead the way for other American cities.