This page provides planning guidance to help Washington counties and cities develop a comprehensive plan climate element. Local jurisdictions should use the planning guidance with Commerce’s climate data and climate planning policy tools.
Planning locally for climate change
RCW 36.70.70A requires local comprehensive plans to have a climate element that maximizes economic, environmental, and social co-benefits and prioritizes environmental justice in order to avoid worsening environmental health disparities. A climate element can take the form of a single comprehensive plan chapter or be integrated into several chapters/elements such as housing, transportation, and land use.
Commerce published intermediate climate element planning guidance (below) to help local jurisdictions develop a climate comprehensive plan climate element. Cities and counties with a 2025 comprehensive plan periodic update deadline will be the first jurisdictions required to have a climate element and should use the intermediate guidance.
Commerce will publish final planning guidance and an interactive storymap at the end of 2025, integrating statutory rulemaking. Jurisdictions with a periodic update deadline of 2026 or later should use the final planning guidance.
Learn more: Intermediate guidance overview (PDF) and intermediate guidance FAQ (PDF)
Translated versions
- Khmer (Cambodian) (PDF)
- Chinese (Simplified/Mainland China) (PDF)
- Korean (PDF)
- Pashto (PDF)
- Vietnamese (PDF)
- Spanish (PDF)
- Nepali (PDF)
- Farsi (Persian) (PDF)
Appendices
- Climate Justice (PDF)
- Climate Element Workbook (Excel)
- Best Practices for Integrating Climate into a Hazard Mitigation Plan (PDF)
- Crosswalk Comparison of FEMA/Commerce Guidance (Excel)
- Sample RFP for GHG Inventory (PDF)
- Summary Report: Climate Resilience Pilot Program (PDF)
- Guiding Principles for Climate Planning (PDF)
- Multi-criteria Analysis Examples (PDF)
- Handbook for Analyzing GHG Reductions (PDF)
- Glossary (PDF)
- Menu of Measures (Excel)
- Climate Change Resources (Excel)
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Survey of Small and Mid-sized Cities results (PDF)
Jurisdictions planning under the Growth Management Act must add a climate element to their comprehensive plans in a timeframe based on the periodic update schedule.
A resilience sub-element is mandatory for all fully planning counties and cities under the GMA and is encouraged for all other counties and cities.
A greenhouse gas emissions reduction sub-element is mandatory only for the following 11 counties (and their cities with a population greater that 6,000 as of April 1, 2021):
- Benton
- Clark
- Franklin
- King
- Kitsap
- Pierce
- Skagit
- Snohomish
- Spokane
- Thurston
- Whatcom
Jurisdictions that are required to complete a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction sub-element per RCW 36.70A.095 may voluntarily request Commerce approval of their sub-element. If Commerce approves the submitted sub-element, Commerce would then defend its decision before the state’s Growth Management Hearings Board, should the sub-element be appealed.
RCW 36.70A.096 requires jurisdictions seeking approval of their sub-element to provide a written notice of intent (NOI) to apply 120 days prior to local adoption. Jurisdictions will then submit their application for approval to Commerce within 10-days after local adoption. Commerce shall strive to approve or deny an application within 180 days of the date of receipt of the application.
For jurisdictions with periodic update due Dec. 31, 2025, the notice of intent deadline is June 24 to have your GHG sub-element approved prior to your comprehensive plan due date. Check out our fact sheet for an expedited timeline.
If you are interested in getting your GHG reduction sub-element approved, please email gmsclimate@commerce.wa.gov.