The threat of climate change is magnifying the opportunities presented by a green economy – opportunities for new jobs and talent, products and technologies, and energy and cost savings.  Cities and metropolitan regions across the country are acting quickly to capture these benefits.

But our metro region – despite early leadership and widespread activity – does not have a cohesive response.  PoSI is working with a group of public and private sector leaders to align our activity and invest strategically.  We’re creating a regional roadmap to build our economy through smart responses to climate change.

The Climate Prosperity Project aligns the numerous economic development and climate-related initiatives in our region under a single framework to drive a rapid and wholesale transformation to a green economy.

And it plays to our strengths.  We are already eager inventors and early adopters of sustainable innovations.  We’ve developed a national reputation as a leader in sustainability.  Our clean technology sector is large and fast-growing, and our green building experts are sought after around the world.  Unlike many other regions in the race to a green economy, we’re already well on our way.

The challenge we face is to fully engage our people, jurisdictions, investments, and industries to catapult us forward.

PoSI's Partners in Climate Prosperity include:

• Climate Solutions
• DSW Collective
• Formos, Inc.
• Greenlight Greater Portland
• Lane Powell
• Metro
• Nike
• Oregon Business Council
• Oregon Institute of Technology
• Portland Development Commission
• Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability
• Worksystems

In early 2009, our region was selected as one of eight pilots across the country to test the framework of Climate Prosperity.  With start-up funding from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Portland project is working to regionalize the framework.  We are developing a “greenprint” – the roadmap and strategies – that lays out our path forward, building from our local context.

For more information, to stay in the loop or to get involved with the Climate Prosperity effort, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .