Special to the Reporter

In 2023, the city of Mercer Island adopted a Climate Action Plan, with a goal to reduce community-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. An element of the plan is to track annual emissions across the Island to gauge the effectiveness of reduction efforts. The latest report analyzing 2024 emissions levels was recently published, undertaken in partnership with the Eastside Climate Partnership.

The report shows significant progress, with community-wide emissions declining by 15% since 2019 despite a 6% increase in population, although 2024 emissions dropped by less than 1%. The city has also made strides in lowering emissions produced by its operations, notching a 55% decrease since 2019, including 14% just from last year.

Higher rates of zero-emission vehicle adoption, fewer people commuting post-pandemic, and Puget Sound Energy’s shift toward cleaner energy sources are a few factors driving these reductions.