Climate Action Plan

On March 17, 2019 the City Council approved a contract with Environmental Science Associates (ESA), Inc. for the preparation of the City’s Climate Action Plan (CAP).  The CAP is a 24 month work effort which will culminate with City Council adoption of a CAP.  Since April, City staff and the consultant have been working on collecting data to inform the CAP preparation.  The City is now embarking on the community engagement portion of the work effort, including solicitation of input from targeted interest groups. This engagement and outreach will continue throughout the preparation of the CAP.  The CAP is anticipated to culminate with adoption by the City Council in early 2022.

 WHY PREPARE A CAP?  

A CAP is necessary to address and to be in alignment with Senate Bill (SB) 32 and other legislative mandates.  A CAP is a roadmap for how the City will reduce greenhouse gas emissions for the impacts of climate change on public health, infrastructure, ecosystems, equity, and public spaces in the community by the required target goals in the years 2030 and 2050.  CAPs address climate adaptation, resilience measures, as well as risks and vulnerabilities.  The CAP will provide background information and policy recommendations which will assist in the City’s upcoming General Plan update which will launch in roughly 2022.

The CAP will be comprehensive, robust and innovative to help the City plan for future climate goals and develop vision for how sustainability should be implemented in the City.  The CAP will be written to address state requirements and will facilitate the City applying for future grant funds to address climate change, social equity, and sustainability/environmental programs and opportunities.  It will also outline the wider social, environmental, and economic benefits derived from CAP implementation, and improve distribution of these elements throughout the city’s population.