Climate action plans are comprehensive roadmaps that outline the specific activities that an agency will undertake to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Climate action plans build upon the information gathered by greenhouse gas inventories and generally focus on those activities that can achieve the relatively greatest emission reductions in the most cost effective manner.
Below are Climate Action Plans for various cities and counties in Monterey Bay.
City of Santa Cruz Climate Action Plan
For the past several years the City of Santa Cruz has been proactive in studying climate change and developing relevant programs to address it. The science, policy directives, and potential options to address climate change are constantly evolving. This Climate Action Plan provides a tool to guide the community’s direction in responsibly addressing climate change and greenhouse gas reductions. To access the tool guide, click here.
Climate change creates risks and challenges for the City of Watsonville, as we will be threatened with sea-level rise, increased temperatures, heavier and more intense storms, air pollution, increased health problems and increased strain on an already impacted water supply. The City of Watsonville received grant funding through the State of California’s Sustainable Communities Planning Grant and Incentive Program in December 2012 to complete a Climate Action Plan (PDF) and carbon offset program.
City of Watsonville Climate Action Plan
City of Monterey Climate Action Plan
The City of Monterey Climate Action Plan (CAP) represents our local effort to address the City’s contribution to a global environmental problem with community -level impacts. The CAP includes the following: 2005 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions inventory; 2012 GHG emissions inventory; existing and planned GHG emissions reduction strategies for both the community (within our City geopolitical boundary) and government operations (associated with operations and management of City real properties and programs; also known as municipal), and recommendations to make further reductions to meet future goals. The CAP sets emission reduction goals for 2020, 2030, and 2050 according to California AB 32, the Urban Environmental Accords (UEA), and Executive Order S-3-05. To read the plan, click here.
The City Council adopted Capitola’s first Climate Action Plan (CAP) on October 22, 2015. The CAP identifies strategies and actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from City government operations and community activities to support the State of California’s efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change. The CAP fulfills several General Plan goals and bring the City into conformance with Assembly Bill 32, Senate Bill 375, and Executive Order S-3-05. The CAP includes an inventory of existing GHG emissions, a forecast of future GHG emissions, identification of GHG reduction targets, and a list of GHG reduction measures necessary to achieve identified reduction targets.
The CAP includes actions and strategies to reduce GHG emissions generated by transportation and mobile sources, residential and non-residential energy consumption, water and wastewater treatment and conveyance, solid waste generation, and open space, parks, and agriculture.
The proposed CAP establishes a 4.9% GHG reduction target from 2010 levels by 2020 and projects an 18% reduction through implementation of various reduction strategies. The CAP further sets a 42.9% reduction target from 2010 levels by 2035 and an 81% reduction by 2050.
City of Capitola Climate Action Plan