Mayor Todd Gloria. Photo by Chris Stone
Mayor Todd Gloria will present the city’s Climate Action Plan update to the City Council for consideration Tuesday, an update that includes setting a target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2035.
“The window to reverse the dangerous trends of climate change is rapidly closing, and this moment demands aggressive action,” Gloria said. “Implementing this more ambitious plan won’t be easy, but the financial cost and human consequences of inaction are almost unimaginable. We must act now.”
Since the draft plan’s release in November, the city has gathered public feedback, developed an analysis of staffing needs, “incorporated a review of Climate Action Plan consistency into backup materials for all items coming to hearing of the City Council and begun work on the follow-up implementation steps as laid out in the City Auditor’s CAP audit,” a statement from the mayor’s office reads.
“There is no time to wait to take climate action. Thankfully, by including the voices and concerns of the people who have suffered the most under climate inequity, our Climate Action Plan will ensure our city does our part for the global community while working toward our goal of providing every San Diegan the clean and healthy community they deserve,” City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera said.
“Now more than ever, the city is positioned to bring forth a sustainable future for all by strengthening its commitment to greater tree canopy, safer streets, cleaner air, and healthier neighborhoods,” Elo-Rivera added.
If the update is approved, a complete implementation plan will be drafted before next year’s budget proposal, and each department responsible for CAP actions will be required to provide annual work plans to show how they will carry out the plan’s identified strategies.
“The 2022 Climate Action Plan remains a model for the country; achieving the CAP’s ambitious goals will produce a sustainable future for San Diegans,” said Councilman Joe LaCava, who chairs the council’s Environment Committee. “The Climate Action Plan update is only the beginning. I applaud the mayor’s leadership in already pivoting the city toward climate action and a commitment to document a full implementation plan by February 2023.”
As an early implementation step, city staff have prepared a municipal energy implementation plan and policy. Both are intended to push the city toward its goal of zero-emissions municipal facilities and a nearly all- electric vehicle fleet by 2035.
San Diego has more than 400 municipal facilities burning natural gas to heat water and indoor spaces, and more than 4,000 fleet vehicles on the road each day. The plan outlines emission-reduction opportunities and describes specific projects, programs and policies to enable the city to meet its goals.
To learn more about the city’s climate-related efforts, visit sandiego.gov/climatefuture.
— City News Service