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General Plan Update, Climate Action Plan and Master EIR Update
Existing Building Electrification
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SACRAMENTO CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE
The City of Sacramento is updating the Sacramento Climate Action Plan in tandem with the 2040 General Plan Update process. The City first adopted a Climate Action Plan (CAP) in 2012 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change. In 2015 the CAP was incorporated into the 2035 General Plan and currently resides there. As part of the Sacramento 2040 process, the CAP will be revived as a standalone document that provides an over-arching framework for community wide GHG reduction and establishes Sacramento as leader on climate action.
Periodically, the City of Sacramento conducts an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) produced by the Sacramento community to track Sacramento's progress towards its climate action goals. Previously, greenhouse gas inventories were completed for 2005 and 2011. This year, the City of Sacramento completed an inventory of greenhouse gas emission for 2016. The 2016 inventory counted emissions produced from residential and commercial electricity and natural gas usage, transportation, water delivery, wastewater treatment, and solid waste within City limits.
The 2016 GHG inventory shows that greenhouse gas emissions have decreased since 2005 and 2011, thanks in large part to SMUD, and to the City's efforts to implement its Climate Action Plan. Emission decreases since 2005 can also be attributed to aggressive State-wide programs, including the Clean Cars Program, the California Energy Code, and the Renewable Portfolio Standard, which requires utilities in California to increase the renewable energy sources in their grid mix.
The Sacramento Climate Action Plan includes emission reduction targets, strategies, and specific actions for addressing climate change within the community. It established a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 15% below 2005 levels by 2020.
The City of Sacramento met its 2020 climate goal in 2016. Between 2005 and 2016, community wide emissions decreased from 4,235,000 metric tons (MT) of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) to 3,424,700 MT CO2e - a reduction of over 19%. Per capita emissions have decreased over 26% demonstrating that even though the City has grown substantially since 2005, emissions have decreased at a more rapid rate.
Now the City is working on an updated Climate Action Plan to help the community reach even more aggressive climate targets in line with State goals, including carbon neutrality (0 MT CO2e) in 2045.
background: what is climate change?
The term climate change refers to the changes in global temperature, precipitation, wind patterns and other measures of climate due to the greenhouse effect. Scientists are in strong agreement that global temperatures are rising quickly as a direct result of greenhouse gas emissions from human-made sources. Learn more about the science behind climate change by exploring the resource below.
Want to get more informed about climate change? Here are some resources to check out!
City of Sacramento 2016 Community-Wide Inventory
Review the technical documentation of the updated community greenhouse gas inventory and forecast for the City of Sacramento. This report will serve as an appendix to the updated Climate Action Plan currently underway. Sign up to receive project updates.
City of Sacramento 2016 Municipal Inventory
Review the technical documentation of the updated municipal greenhouse gas inventory and forecast for the City's internal operations. This report will also serve as a technical appendix to the updated Climate Action Plan currently underway.
Mayor's Commission on Climate Change Final Report
In June 2020, the Mayors' Commission on Climate Change completed a two-year effort and issued a comprehensive final report with recommendations on how the cities of Sacramento and West Sacramento can achieve carbon-zero by 2045. The report includes carbon-zero strategies and recommendations for the built environment, mobility, and community health and resiliency.
Capitol Region Climate Readiness Collaborative
The Capital Region Climate Readiness Collaborative (CRC) is a multidisciplinary network of local and regional agencies, organizations, businesses and associations working together to advance climate mitigation and adaptation efforts in their own communities and throughout California's Capital Region. Sign up for their newsletter to stay up to date on recent news, science, and initiatives happening in your community and across California.
California's Fourth Climate Change Assessment
California's Climate Change Assessments contribute to the scientific foundation for understanding climate-related vulnerability at the local scale and informing resilience actions, while also directly informing State policies, plans, programs, and guidance, to promote effective and integrated action to safeguard California from climate change. (Hot tip: Check out the Statewide Summary Report and the Sacramento Valley Regional Report!)
Cal-Adapt
Explore the Cal-Adapt tool to see how different climate change-related impacts will affect our community. Cal-Adapt uses science from the most recent California Climate Change Assessment to produce map-based tools and downloadable data sheets in a variety of forms.
The National Climate Assessment summarizes the impacts of climate change on the United States, now and in the future. A team of more than 300 experts guided by a 60-member Federal Advisory Committee produced the report, which was extensively reviewed by the public and experts, including federal agencies and a panel of the National Academy of Sciences. (Check out the Report Highlights for a concise version of the full report!)
Report to Planning and Design Commission - August 13, 2020