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Summary
Developing the CAP
Current City Programs or Policies that Address Climate Change
Schedule
Community Workshops and Public Hearings
Project Documents
Contacts
Summary
The City of Sacramento is developing a Climate Action Plan (CAP) that will identify how the City and the broader community can reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). The CAP will also identify steps we need to take to prepare and adapt to climate change.
The CAP will include:
Strategies and specific actions for reducing GHG from both municipal operations and the larger community
- Identification of areas in which to strategically direct funding and investment opportunities
The CAP will position the City to compete for funding opportunities to implement specific strategies for increasing energy efficiency and conservation. The CAP may also help the City prepare for pending changes to the State and Federal regulatory environment, pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32), SB 375, and related legislation.
Developing the CAP
The International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) has developed a standard process and methodology for setting and meeting climate protection goals. The City will generally follow the ICLEI 5-Step Process as a model in developing the CAP. The City’s process will consist of the following:
- Completion of a greenhouse gas emissions inventory for municipal operations and community-wide emissions for the baseline year of 2005
- A forecast of “business as usual” emissions for future GHG emissions and identification of reduction targets
- Evaluation and analysis of greenhouse gas emissions reduction action strategies and scenarios to achieve targets
- Development of a plan document that demonstrates how the targets will be achieved, specific implementation and action steps, and ongoing monitoring and adjustment over time
- Outreach and public participation throughout the planning process to engage the community and interested stakeholders
- Presentation of the CAP to various City boards, commissions, and ultimately the City Council for adoption.
Current City Programs or Policies that Address Climate Change
The City has already demonstrated its commitment to addressing climate change and reducing GHG emissions through a series of partnerships, formal agreements with other jurisdictions in the state and nation, and key planning documents that have been adopted during the last decade. These efforts provide the framework for moving forward with development and implementation of a CAP, and are listed below:
- The City of Sacramento joined the California Climate Action Registry (CCAR) as a charter member in October 2002, and has been tracking and registering GHG emissions from the City’s internal operations for over four years.
- On April 4, 2006, the City Council authorized the Mayor to sign the Urban Environmental Accords, which identified a reduction target of 25% below 1990 levels by 2030.
- In December 2007, the City Council adopted the City’s Sustainability Master Plan, including the goal of meeting the intent of the Global Warming Solutions Act (AB32) and subsequent legislation. This goal includes City operations, the community of Sacramento, and collaboration with regional partners in the SACOG region to develop a regional climate action plan and climate adaptation plan. It established a target for the SACOG region to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.
- In early 2008, the City, along with other incorporated cities and the County, formed the Sacramento Area Green Partnership to coordinate the development of a joint study to develop a county-wide greenhouse gas inventory. The inventory provides each jurisdiction within the County with an accurate accounting of its own community-wide GHG emissions for a common baseline year (2005) using a common standardized approach developed by ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability. The Sacramento Area Green Partnership continues to meet monthly to coordinate the development of the inventory and potentially, county-wide climate action planning.
- The 2030 General Plan, adopted on March 3, 2009, contains key policies and implementation measures, consistent with the Sustainability Master Plan, that will help to address climate change and reduce GHG emissions. The Master Environmental Impact Report for the General Plan also cited many of the Plan policies and programs as mitigation for GHG emissions for the Plan’s area-wide, cumulative contribution. While many of the General Plan policies and programs identified in the Master EIR as GHG mitigation lack specificity and have not been quantified, the policy framework established in the Plan, along with many of the implementation measures, will help shape the framework of the CAP. Additionally, the development of a CAP was identified as a key general plan mitigation measure and the City Council directed staff to complete a CAP by July 2011.
Schedule
The CAP planning process will begin in Summer 2009, and will last approximately two years.
More details about the project schedule, including specific project milestones and future meetings, will be posted here at a later date.
Community Workshops and Public Hearings
Climate Action Plan Work Program:
Phase 1: Internal Municipal Operations:
Project Documents
Contacts
For more information, please contact:
Helen Selph, Associate Planner
CAP Project Coordinator
Community Development Department
300 Richards Blvd
Sacramento, CA 95811
(916) 808-7852
hselph@cityofsacramento.org
Erik de Kok, Senior Planner
CAP Project Manager
Community Development Dep
300 Richards Blvd
Sacramento, CA 95811
(916) 808-2022
edekok@cityofsacramento.org
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