Climate Action

In November 2020, Bainbridge Island City Council approved the first-ever Bainbridge Island Climate Action Plan (CAP). This plan is a culmination of a three-year effort by the Climate Change Advisory Committee working with City staff, community stakeholders and the public. 

 The CAP has three overarching goals:

  • Mitigation: Reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 90% by 2045 compared to 2014 levels with interim milestones of 25% reduction by 2025 and 60% by 2035.
  • Adaptation: Ensure that Bainbridge Island is climate savvy and can withstand the impacts of climate change.
  • Community Engagement: Inspire community action and partner with local and regional organizations to take meaningful and equitable climate change mitigation and adaptation actions. 

Communitywide GHG emissions increased 9% from 2014 to 2018. Achieving the goals outlined in the CAP will depend on everyone in the Bainbridge Island community working towards a clean, healthy and vibrant future.  

Curious what actions will have the biggest climate benefit for your household? Want to reduce your carbon footprint, save money, and improve the health of our community? Join the Climate Smart Challenge today! Learn more about steps you can take to help reduce GHG emissions and prepare for climate change. 

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News & Current Topics of Interest

Climate Smart Tree Workshop - Recording Now Available  

Check out the September 14, 2022 recording of the "Right Plant, Right Place: Choosing Appropriate Trees for the Urban Environment" webinar featuring the City's Arborist and Climate Officer. This video shares information about tree-related considerations in the City's Climate Action Plan with an in-depth discussion about how to choose the right species for the right space, how to plant correctly, and how to care for trees to maximize their success rate.

Take the Erase the Waste Pledge!  

Starting in 2023, retail food and lodging establishments will have new requirements to reduce plastic waste associated with onsite dining, to-go food orders, and packaging for personal care products. Businesses that pledge to reduce their use of single-use plastics now, before the new requirements go into effect, will receive recognition as a Climate Smart Bainbridge business leader.  

Participating businesses will receive free social media promotion, newspaper advertisements, and a window cling to showcase their waste reduction leadership. Customers can do their part by supporting local business efforts and pledging to reduce their use of single-use plastics as well. Take the pledge and learn more. 

Window Decal Artwork for Erase the Waste Pledge

Electric Vehicle (EV) Car Sharing Program Coming to the Island

Mobility for All – a non-profit advocacy group based on Bainbridge Island – was recently selected for $193,247 in grant funding from the Washington State Department of Transportation’s Zero-Emissions Access Program (ZAP) program. 

Grant funds will be used to purchase two electric vehicles and install EV chargers at the Town Square by City Hall in downtown Bainbridge Island for a community carshare pilot program. The City of Bainbridge Island was approached by Mobility for All as a potential site host for an EV carshare program, consistent with goals outlined in the City’s Climate Action Plan and Sustainable Transportation Plan. Read more in this July 2022 press release.

City Selected for Clean Energy Transition Program 

The City was recently selected as one of 12 communities to receive technical assistance as part of the second cohort of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project (ETIPP). The ETIPP Community Technical Assistance program helps remote, island, and islanded communities transform their energy systems and increase energy resilience. 

The City’s application requested technical assistance to analyze the feasibility and associated costs of renewable energy options like solar and water power to move the city towards our goal of 100% renewable electricity by 2040, and to increase the resilience of our electric systems on the island, per actions outlined in our 2020 Climate Action Plan.  The City’s ETIPP project will take place over the next 12-18 months. The City’s Climate Officer will be reaching out to community members and organizations for input throughout the technical assistance process.

  1. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory
  2. City Actions Related to Sustainability


In 2019, the City worked with Cascadia Consulting Group to complete a comprehensive greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory to quantify the amount of climate pollution produced in our community.  This information is summarized in a fact sheet (PDF) and will help track progress and inform decisions related to our Climate Action Plan goals.

Graph of 2018 Communitywide Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The majority of community GHG emissions stem from electricity use in homes and commercial buildings and gasoline and diesel fuel use for both on-road vehicles and air travel. Detailed information on sources of emissions can be found in the 2019 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Report (PDF), which includes three distinct inventories:

  • A community inventory that estimates GHG emissions produced by activities of the Bainbridge Island community, including residents and businesses.
  • A municipal inventory that estimates GHG emissions resulting from City of Bainbridge Island government operations.
  • A consumption-based inventory that estimates GHG emissions associated with the consumption of food, goods, and services within the community, regardless of their origin.

The report also presents findings from additional analyses, including contribution analyses that identify key drivers of observed trends in emissions, such as changes in weather, population, or economic activity. A carbon sequestration analysis that estimates the amount of carbon dioxide that Bainbridge Island trees absorb—or sequester—from the atmosphere on an annual basis is also included.

Learn more about what the City is doing – and actions you can take – to both reduce GHG emissions and prepare our community for the impacts of climate change by exploring the links on this page.