Council launches ‘Sustainable Bellevue’ Environmental Stewardship Plan update

Published November 6 2024

To further its commitment to sustainability, the City of Bellevue has kicked off the year-long process of updating its five-year "Sustainable Bellevue" environmental stewardship plan. Guiding the city's progress on environmental initiatives, the plan helps ensure future efforts remain on pace to meet Bellevue's overarching sustainability goals, including a 95% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The City Council on Oct. 29 directed staff to launch the 2026-2030 plan update, which will enhance strategies related to energy, mobility, land use, waste management, natural systems, and municipal operations, and include initiatives from the recently adopted 2024-2044 Comprehensive Plan update.

Bellevue's Environmental Stewardship team will hold a public town hall on the plan update on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 5:30-7 p.m., at Puesta del Sol Elementary School. All community members are welcome. Please register.

City achievements under the current 2021-2025 Sustainable Bellevue plan include switching to renewable energy for 70% of the City's municipal operations, creating the Clean Buildings Incentive Program to help commercial building owners meet state energy efficiency requirements, and launching the Energy Smart Eastside program that supports homeowners switching from gas furnaces to energy-efficient electric heat pumps.

The city also developed an Electric Vehicle Roadmap with input from community members to guide expansion of EV charging stations and gave away more than 3,000 trees at city-sponsored events since 2021, which helped Bellevue reach a citywide tree canopy of 40%.

Learn more about Bellevue's sustainability initiatives at Environmental Stewardship.