HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 10 - Climate Action Plan Update PresentationClimate Action Plan Update
City Council Study Session –December 3, 2019
1
Recommendation
Review and discuss information on the Climate Action Plan
update and provide direction on focus questions necessary to
inform next steps.
2
Agenda
Background
Proposed Approach to Carbon Neutrality
Public Engagement
Next Steps
3
Background
4
Background
Atmospheric GHG concentrations have reached a
level that guarantees substantial and unavoidable
impacts for the foreseeable future.
San Luis Obispo residents routinely rank climate
change as an important issue.
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Climate Action in San Luis Obispo
In July 2012, the City Council adopted the City of San
Luis Obispo’s first Climate Action Plan.
Included the adopted GHG emissions reduction target
of 15 percent below 2005 baseline levels by 2020.
At present, the City is on track to achieve the Climate
Action Plan’s 2020 target.
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Previous Council Direction
Climate Action was included as a Major City Goal in
the 2017-19 and 2019-21 Financial Plans.
In September of 2018, Council directed staff to
proceed with updating the Climate Action Plan to
articulate a pathway to carbon neutrality by 2035.
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Lessons Learned About Climate
Action Planning
1.Systems are responsible for the climate crisis.
2.The climate crisis and social equity must be
addressed together.
3.Local governments are uniquely capable of certain
actions.
4.Leadership is needed and the world is watching.
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Components of a Contemporary
Climate Action Plan
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An accounting and compilation of the greenhouse gas
emissions that occur as the result of activity inside a
geographic boundary.
Emissions sectors inventoried are set by the
California Air Resources Board via the U.S.
Community Protocol for Accounting and Reporting of
Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
Inventory currently includes carbon dioxide (CO2),
methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Inventory
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2016 Greenhouse Gas
Emissions Inventory
Transportation
212,980 MTCO2e*
Non-Residential
Energy
44,270 MTCO2e*
Solid Waste
42,630 MTCO2e*
Residential Energy
39,410 MTCO2e*
*All emissions are recorded as Metric Tons of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (MTCO2e).
Emissions figures are taken from the Provisional 2016 Community Greenhouse Gas
Inventory.The final inventory may differ slightly due to updated data and methods.
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Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory
and Forecast Summary (MTCO2e)
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Emissions associated with consumption (local food
consumption, plastic generation, shipping of goods,
etc.).
Fugitive emissions that occur as the result of natural gas
consumption and direct leakage of methane into the
atmosphere during exploration, extraction, transmission,
distribution, and end use.
GHG Emissions Inventory and
Forecast Shortcomings
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Key Question #1
Is Council supportive of preparing this Climate Action
Plan update accounting only for the emissions sectors
required by the US Community Protocol, while
continuing to monitor and track emerging protocols for
voluntary emission sectors?
As an alternative, would Council prefer staff pause the
Climate Action Plan update process until one or more
of the identified voluntary sectors are inventoried?
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Greenhouse Gas Reduction Target
Proposed definition of carbon neutrality is zero annual
emissions of the four inventoried sectors minus the
emissions removed via carbon sequestration.
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Key Question #2
Does Council agree with the staff’s recommendation
for how to approach “carbon neutrality”?
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Proposed Approach
to Carbon Neutrality
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Our Proposed Approach to
Carbon Neutrality
Organized into six pillars,
each with a long-term goal, and
foundational measures and actions to be initiated or
completed by 2023.
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Pillar 1: Lead by Example
City government operations
can achieve carbon neutrality,
and in doing so, will provide
leadership for community
businesses and organizations
looking to achieve the same
outcome.
Goal: Carbon neutral government
operations by 2030
Emissions reductions
estimate: 7,500 MTCO2e
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Pillar 1: Lead by Example
Foundational Actions
Measure Foundational Actions (2020-2023)
Lead by Example 1 –
Municipal Carbon
Neutrality Plan
1.1 –Present municipal carbon neutrality plan to City
Council by December 2020.
1.2 –Commit to no new fossil fuels in municipal buildings.
1.3 –Develop and implement campus wide energy
strategic plan by 2022.
Lead by Example 2 –
City Organization
2.1 –Integrate climate considerations into City decision
making processes.
Lead by Example 3 –
Green Local
Economy
3.1 –Include carbon neutrality considerations and a focus
on developing the green local economy in the updated
Economic Development Strategic Plan
3.2 –Research methods to support local contractors and
labor.
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Pillar 2: Clean Energy Systems
Affordable, abundant, and clean
electricity coming from renewable
or carbon neutral resources lays
the foundation for a carbon neutral
community. A commitment to
resilience and local generation
promotes a green local economy
and a system that functions as the
climate changes around it.
Goal: 100 percent carbon free
electricity by 2020
Emissions savings estimate:
39,000 MTCO2e
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Pillar 2: Clean Energy Systems
Foundational Actions
Measure Foundational Actions (2020-2023)
Clean Energy Systems
1 –Monterey Bay
Community Power
1.1 –Launch Monterey Bay Community Power and
achieve a 98 percent participation rate; advocate for
equity and maximum local benefit.
Clean Energy Systems
2 –Local Grid
Reliability and Energy
Storage
2.1 –Work with MBCP & PG&E to develop a regional
grid reliability and resilience strategy.
Clean Energy Systems
3 –Natural Gas
Strategy
3.1 –Partner with SoCal Gas to research options for
reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with
the existing natural gas grid.
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Pillar 3: Green Buildings
Building decarbonization can be
achieved through building all-
electric new buildings and
providing resources to current
building owners to conduct energy
efficiency retrofits and transition to
cleaner energy sources.
Goal: No net new building emissions
from onsite energy use by 2020; 50
percent reduction in existing onsite
building emissions by 2030
Emissions savings estimate:
32,000 MTCO2e
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Pillar 3: Green Buildings
Foundational Actions
Measures Foundational Actions (2020-2023)
Green Buildings 1 –
Carbon Neutral New
Buildings
1.1 –Adopt and implement local amendments to the
2019 California Energy Code incentivizing all electric
development (Clean Energy Choice Program) and
review opportunities for improvement in the 2022
code cycle.
Green Buildings 2 –
Energy Retrofitting
2.1 –Conduct comprehensive retrofit program study
and develop an equity focused building retrofit
program.
2.2 Adopt building energy score program or
benchmarking ordinance by 2021 and begin
implementing retrofit program.
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Pillar 4: Connected Community
Creating a community that
focuses on people and mobility
can substantially improve
community health, reduce cost of
living, and reduce the largest
source of greenhouse gas
emissions in the community.
Goal: Achieve the General Plan
mode split objective by 2030; 40
percent of vehicle miles travelled by
electric vehicles by 2030
Emissions savings estimate:
78,000 MTCO2e
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Pillar 4: Connected Community
Foundational Actions
Measures Foundational Actions (2020-2023)
Connected
Community 1 –
Innovation and
Coordination
1.1 –Research and develop an approach to a “Mobility as a Service”
platform for people to easily use all modes of low carbon mobility in the
City.
1.2 –Repurpose the City’s Green Team to focus on 2017-19 Major City
Goal collaboration and coordination in the short term, and on achieving
the mode split targets in the long term.
1.3 –Create new development review standards to support Community
Development Department decision making processes for consistency
with the carbon neutrality goal.
Connected
Community 2 –
Active
Transportation
2.1 -Complete Active Transportation Plan and begin implementation.
2.2 -Launch micro mobility program by 2021.
2.3 –Develop a quick-build strategy to streamline implementation of
priority bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure projects.
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Measures Foundational Actions (2020-2023)
Connected
Community 3 –
Parking
3.1 –Establish a policy and strategic approach to leveraging existing
and new parking garages for downtown residential and visitor serving
uses and to allow for further implementation of the Downtown
Concept Plan.
Connected
Community 4 –
Transit
4.1 –Develop transit yard electrification strategic plan and begin
implementing in 2020.
4.2 –Increase headways through accelerated implementation of the
existing Short-Range Transit Plan.
4.3 –Explore additional innovative transit options in the 2022 Short-
Range Transit Plan (e.g., on-demand deviated routes, electric fleet
expansion, micro transit, Bus Rapid Transit, Transit Signal Priority,
etc.)
4.4 –Assess feasibility of a “free to the user” transit ridership program
Connected
Community 5 –
Housing
5.1 -Develop Flexible Zoning Requirements for Downtown.
5.2 -Update the Housing Element of the General Plan and complete
the Housing Major City Goal
Connected
Community 6 –
Electric Vehicles
6.1 -Develop and begin implementing electric mobility plan by 2021.
Pillar 4: Connected Community
Foundational Actions
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Pillar 5: Circular Economy
Diverting organic material and
reducing landfilled waste
supports community wide carbon
neutrality by directly reducing
methane emissions while also
creating clean electricity and
compost at the regional anerobic
digester.
Goal: 75 percent diversion of
landfilled organic waste by 2025; 90
percent by 2035
Emissions savings estimate:
39,000 MTCO2e
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Pillar 5: Circular Economy
Foundational Actions
Measures Foundational Actions (2020-2023)
Circular Economy 1 –
Organic Waste
Diversion
1.1 -Adopt an ordinance requiring organic waste
subscription for all residential and commercial
customers by 2022.
1.2 –Develop and implement program to increase
edible food rescue by 20 percent.
1.3 -Develop and implement a waste stream education
program for HOA/Property Managers and the
commercial sector.
Circular Economy 2 –
Administrative Capacity
2.1 -Update the Municipal Code solid waste section
and bin enclosure standards.
2.2 -Develop a Solid Waste section in the Utilities
Department.
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Pillar 6: Natural Solutions
Active management of agricultural
lands, rangelands, and the urban
forest can remove greenhouse
gas emissions from the
atmosphere while enhancing the
health of the City’s natural
systems.
Goal: Increase carbon
sequestration within the San Luis
Obispo Greenbelt and Urban
Forest; ongoing through 2035
Emissions reductions estimate:
7,000 MTCO2
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Pillar 6: Natural Solutions
Foundational Actions
Measures Foundational Actions (2020-2023)
Natural Solutions 1 –
Carbon Farming
1.1 –Conduct Carbon Farming Study and Pilot Project at
Johnson Ranch Open Space and City Farm beginning in
2020 with monitoring through 2023.If determined feasible
and cost effective,apply compost to first annual 100 acres
by 2023.
Natural Solutions 2 –
Tree Planting
2.1 –Prepare the City’s first Urban Forest Master Plan
that updates the existing tree inventory,identifies future
tree planting opportunities and a climate-ready tree
palette,as well as ongoing operations and maintenance
needs.
2.2 –Identify and participate in partnership opportunities
by 2021 necessary to plant and maintain 10,000 new trees
by 2035.
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Key Question #3
Does Council concur with the pillars, measures, and
foundational actions as presented?
Do they contain anything that should be removed?
Are they missing anything?
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Contribution to Greenhouse Gas
Reductions by Pillar (MTCO2e)
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Key Question #4
Is Council comfortable with the uncertainty
surrounding the remaining emissions reduction “gap”
of 104,160 MTCO2e?
As an alternative, would Council prefer adopting a
less ambitious target?
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Update Schedule
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Key Question #5
Does Council want staff to commit to a Climate Action
Plan Update schedule that is coordinated with the
City’s customary Financial Plan process?
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Public Outreach
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Public Outreach
Events Completed to Date:
2018 Study Session
2019-21 Budget Open City Hall and Community
Meeting
Workshop #1
Open City Hall Activity #1
Climate Solution Speaker Series
Business Roundtable Meeting 1 and 2
Cal Poly Workshop
Farmers’ Market Booths
Social media posts
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Tonight’s Open House Feedback
Top actions people are excited about:
X
Top actions people want to know more about:
X
Comments:
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Planned Outreach
Farmers’ Market Booths
Neighborhood pop up events
Direct outreach with organizations
Open City Hall
Social media posts
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Next Steps
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Potential Next Steps
December 2019 –Develop Public Review Draft
Climate Action Plan
January -March 2020 –Release Public Review
Draft Climate Action Plan and share with
stakeholders
March –April 2020 –Present Final Climate Action
Plan to Council for adoption
April 2020 –January 2023 –Implement Climate
Action Plan
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Recommendation and
Key Questions for
Study Session
43
Recommendation
Review and discuss information on the Climate Action Plan
update and provide direction on focus questions necessary to
inform next steps.
44
Key Questions for Study Session
1.
Is Council supportive of preparing this Climate Action Plan update to include Scope 1
and 2 emissions sectors, while continuing to monitor and track emerging protocols for
Scope 3 emissions and other shortcomings associated with current GHG inventory and
forecasting methods?
2.Does Council agree with the staff’s recommendation for how to operationalize “carbon
neutrality”?
3.
Does Council concur with the pillars, measures, and foundational actions as presented
in this report. Do they contain anything that should be removed? Are they missing
anything?
4.
Is Council comfortable with confronting the uncertainty surrounding the remaining
emissions reduction “gap” by positioning itself to take advantage of future innovations,
technologies, partnerships and policies in order to continue on a pathway to carbon
neutrality by 2035?
5.Does Council want staff to commit to a Climate Action Plan Update schedule that is
coordinated with the City’s customary Financial Plan process?
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