Portland raises $1 billion for climate action through corporate retail tax, inspiring other cities

Summary

Portland, Oregon has raised over a billion dollars for climate action through the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF), which uses a retail tax on large corporations. The fund supports community-led projects like solar installations, energy efficiency upgrades, and green workforce development, prioritizing low-income communities and people of color. As federal climate action stalls, Portland's model demonstrates how local initiatives can fill the gap, and other cities are beginning to replicate this approach.