Sacramento County, CA

10/30/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/30/2024 14:09

SacCounty Climate Action Plan Update

Sacramento County's Communitywide Climate Action Plan (CAP) is set to go before the Board of Supervisors for adoption on Wednesday, Nov. 6. This plan outlines the County's path toward a sustainable future, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and bolster climate resilience in the face of rising temperatures, extreme weather and wildfire risk.

So, what exactly is the CAP?

This comprehensive plan details Sacramento County's blueprint for achieving crucial GHG reductions while building resilience against climate impacts. The CAP meets the state's legally mandated reduction targets set by Senate Bill 32 (2016) and Assembly Bill 1279 (2022), which call for reducing emissions 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 and reaching net-zero emissions by 2045.

While the plan maintains the ambitious 2045 target, it also emphasizes equity, with specific investments and improvements prioritized for disadvantaged communities. We know that climate change disproportionately affects the County's Environmental Justice communities. Several measures in the CAP specifically identify prioritizing implementation in Environmental Justice communities to improve the urban forest, enhance availability of transit, improve existing building energy efficiency, and increase EV charging and ZEV infrastructure.

Now that you have a better idea of what the CAP is, let's talk about what it's not.

The CAP is not a vehicle for streamlining "sprawl" development. This is a common talking point that we often hear. The CAP does not provide any land use entitlements for individual development projects and would not replace the required project specific environmental review.

What's next?

If approved, The CAP will be implemented by multiple County departments working together as outlined in the document (Chapter 4). Annual GHG inventories and progress reports will be published on the County's Sustainability Dashboard and presented to the Board of Supervisors at least once a year.