REPORT TO PLANNING COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Study Session: Climate Action Plan (CAP) Update
Report
Following over two years of community engagement, the City has developed a Draft Climate Action Plan (CAP) 2022 to update the current CAP adopted in 2013. Adoption of the CAP Update would extend the City’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions reduction goals through 2030, address all new State requirements established since the 2013 CAP was adopted, and offer a Qualified CAP that would provide California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) streamlining benefits.
The City of Santa Clara adopted its CAP on December 3, 2013, as required by the City’s 2010-2035 General Plan. The City’s current CAP identified measurable actions the City could implement through the year 2020 to reduce GHG emissions to 1990 levels, as required by California’s Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Assembly Bill 32 or AB32). Senate Bill 32 (SB32), passed in 2016, requires further reduction in GHG emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and a long-term goal of reducing emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. In 2018, Executive Order B-55-18 set the target of statewide carbon neutrality by 2045.
To address these new State requirements established since the City’s 2013 CAP was adopted and to extend the City’s GHG emissions reduction goals through 2030, the City started the process of comprehensively updating the CAP in January 2020. Planning staff will provide an overview of the Draft CAP 2022 at the Planning Commission meeting.