Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

Portland’s climate fund could be a model for other cities and state governments to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and invest in climate adaptation measures. The fund is paid for by a 1% retail sales tax applied directly to large corporations. The fund has raised roughly $1 billion since its approval in 2018. Beyond helping individual households switch to energy-efficient appliances, the fund has also helped plant trees, create urban gardens, lower energy costs, support renewable energy job training, and fund community nonprofits. According to YPCCC data, 67% of Oregon residents somewhat or strongly support providing tax rebates for people who purchase energy-efficient vehicles or solar panels. You can learn more at: https://www.npr.org/2026/05/20/nx-s1-5734498/portland-funding-climate-change-corporations-retail-tax

Alternative Text: An image of houses with rooftop solar with a text overlay containing the words, “The city of Portland, Oregon has a unique climate fund that helps residents pay for solar and air conditioning units."
https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/visualizations-data/ycom-us/

Microsoft is considering delaying its 2030 commitment of matching its entire hourly electricity ​use with renewable energy purchases due to the push towards energy-intensive data centers, which are used to power AI products like Copilot and Azure. Some data centers are expected to have multiple gigawatts of capacity; for context, one gigawatt can provide electricity to around 750,000 homes.

Nuclear energy and natural gas are expected to power these data centers as they are faster and easier to set up than renewable energy. In fact, Microsoft signed a nuclear power deal with Constellation Energy in 2024.

However, a Microsoft spokesperson clarified that the company is still looking for opportunities to meet its matching target. For example, the firm signed agreements to bring 1.2 gigawatts of carbon-free initiatives (solar, battery, etc.) onto the grid in Wisconsin.

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/microsoft-may-shelve-2030-clean-energy-target-ai-lifts-power-use-bloomberg-news-2026-05-06/