2030 Climate Action Plan
What is the Climate Action Plan?
The 2030 Climate Action Plan (CAP) is a document approved by City Council in 2021 which lays out the path to a just and sustainable Tacoma. It has over 20 Targets for 2030, including greenhouse gas reductions, protections for people, infrastructure, and natural systems, and better-connected communities. Along with its 2030 Target Indicators, the CAP outlines municipal and community implementation actions. These actions take place in three year cycles.
Community-Centered Climate Action
As we prepare for our collective climate future, it’s essential that the City of Tacoma continuously engages with communities that are historically underrepresented, underserved, or made vulnerable. These frontline communities are often the first to experience the most severe impacts of climate change. By prioritizing their needs, Tacoma’s new plan focuses on both climate action and environmental justice.
The 2030 Tacoma CAP builds on recent policies and community engagement efforts, and outlines a path toward a healthier, more equitable future. It supports areas such as:
- Healthy, Affordable Housing
- Clean, Reliable Transportation
- Public Health Protections
- Green, Good-Paying Jobs
This comprehensive plan will provide guidance to inform City funding, investments, and initiatives over the next several years to improve our communities and environment, particularly to elevate and enhance the priority near-term action areas.
Goals and Recent Successes
The Climate Action Plan charts a path towards reaching net-zero emissions in 2050, in a way that helps us build a better Tacoma in 2030. Each year, we provide CAP progress reports to both City Council and the public.
In this section, you can find the most recent achievements from 2025 for each of our eight focus areas. To learn more, read the full CAP progress reports below.
- Mobility & Land Use – 213 Tacomans received e-bikes in 2025, with 95% of rebates going to low-income residents.
- Natural Systems & Local Food – Tacoma’s tree canopy has grown 2-4% in priority census blocks since 2017.
- Adaptation – The Commencement Bay Restoration and Resilience Master Plan kicked off in 2025 with local partners such as Parks Tacoma, Pierce County, City of Fife, Port of Tacoma, Puyallup Tribe of Indians, and Puget Sound Institute to adapt to sea level rise.
- Buildings & Energy – In 2025, 32 home electrification assessments were completed through a U.S. Department of Energy funded program, with more planned in 2026.
- Green Economy – Two Tacoma Green Business Alliance tours resumed in 2025, featuring Richlite and Nocturn Apartments.
- Consumption & Material Management – Beyond the Bin diverted 16,000+ pounds of reusable items through eight reuse events in 2025.
- Governance & Engagement – Branch Out distributed 36 trees to 13 households through safety-focused, multilingual outreach.
- Municipal Carbon Neutrality – The City of Tacoma converted all garbage trucks to renewable natural gas while saving $200,000.
The 2030 Climate Action Plan at a Glance
- 14-Month Public Engagement Process
- 1,000+ Community Participants
- Frontline Communities Prioritized*
- Hundreds of Climate Actions Proposed
- Guides Climate Action Through 2030
- Near, Long and Supporting actions prioritized
- $2.5 Billion in Community Climate Investments Needed
- $3.4 – $6.7 Billion in Avoided Damages and Efficiency Savings
*Frontline community members include those expected to experience the first and worst consequences of climate damage, and tend to be underrepresented, underserved, or made vulnerable; experience lower quality of life outcomes before COVID-19; or now experience worse impacts from the COVID-19 economic and health crisis.
Has Climate Action Plan implementation been successful so far?
Yes! Most of the actions we committed to in 2021 are either complete or nearly complete, our community greenhouse gas emissions have dropped by nearly 10% since 2019, and many of our 2030 targets are on track for success. Despite upcoming political and budgetary setbacks, Tacoma remains committed to decisive climate action. You can view progress on all of our Targets and Actions, as well as stories about the City’s implementation, in the Progress Reports below.
