REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Climate Action Plan to Achieve State Recommended Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Goals in Assembly Bill 32: California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006
Environmental Review: Negative Declaration
Report
REPORT IN BRIEF
The Climate Action Plan (CAP) is a Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions reduction plan to address the causes of climate change and reduce the impacts of climate change in the future. It was developed as a response to the State of California's legislative directive (AB 32) for cities to develop local plans to reduce GHG emissions.
Adoption of the CAP does not include a commitment of funds at this time, such as a Capital Improvement Plan. It is a policy document, similar to a Strategic Plan that provides a roadmap to advance the City's target of achieving a minimum 15% reduction in GHG emissions. The CAP outlines broad goals with reduction measures and specific action items to reach this target. If the CAP is adopted, further studies and Council action would be required to implement items that involve new programs, regulations or budget allocations.
The CAP document provides a helpful and detailed Executive Summary as well as extensive chapters on the purpose of the CAP, background on the legislative context, GHG science, a GHG inventory (background data for Sunnyvale GHG conditions), a GHG reduction strategy and an implementation plan. Technical appendices are also attached. The CAP is attached (Attachment 1: Draft Climate Action Plan) and is also available online at Horizon2035.InSunnyvale.com.
In addition to a GHG emissions reduction strategy, the CAP also contains recommended steps to monitor and participate in regional climate adaptation efforts in order to be prepared for the physical changes (e.g., sea level rise) and climate changes (e.g., increased fires, drought and flooding) that are predicted to occur even with GHG reduction efforts moving forward.
The proposed CAP builds upo...
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