Climate Action Plan FAQ

What is the Communitywide Climate Action Plan (CAP)?

The CAP is Sacramento County’s plan for achieving the necessary greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions to ensure a livable and sustainable future for County residents. The CAP also provides a framework for adapting to the ongoing effects of climate change such as increased temperatures and extreme heat, potential for more severe precipitation events and flooding, increased drought, sea level rise, and wildfire. These GHG reductions and adaptation measures guide the County to a more resilient future. For more background information, please refer to Chapter 1 in the CAP.

Does the CAP meet State legislative requirements for greenhouse gas reductions?

Yes, the CAP meets State-required GHG reduction targets for 2030 and 2045. These targets were established by Senate Bill 32 (2016) and Assembly Bill 1279 (2022) and are further detailed in the California Air Resources Board’s 2022 Climate Change Scoping Plan. The State’s 2030 target is reduction of statewide GHG emissions by 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. The State’s 2045 target is 1) reducing statewide anthropogenic GHG emissions to 85 percent below 1990 levels by 2045; and (2) achieving statewide net-zero GHG emissions as soon as possible, but no later than 2045, and maintaining net negative GHG emissions thereafter.

Does the CAP achieve the County’s Climate Emergency Declaration goal of 2030 carbon neutrality?

No, the Climate Emergency Declaration was adopted in 2020 and its goal to reach carbon neutrality by 2030 was merely aspirational. The 2022 Climate Change Scoping Plan revealed that achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 is not technologically feasible or cost-effective. Therefore, the CAP sets an aspirational goal, not a formal CAP target, to achieve carbon neutral emissions by 2045, which will align the County’s long-term aspirational goal with the statewide goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2045.

Does the CAP facilitate or otherwise streamline “sprawl” development?

The CAP is a resource for CEQA streamlining, per the provisions of Section 15183.5 of the CEQA Guidelines (i.e., Title 14, Division 6, Chapter 3 of the California Code of Regulations), not sprawl development. Under these provisions, a project that is subject to discretionary review and is consistent with the County’s 2011 General Plan Update and the CAP can streamline its GHG analysis under CEQA by demonstrating consistency with and incorporating applicable GHG reduction measures in the CAP and/or meeting specific performance standards as project-specific mitigation measures. The CAP does not provide any land use entitlements for individual development projects and would not replace the requisite project specific environmental review.

How does the CAP address equity and the effects of climate change on disadvantaged communities?

We know that climate change disproportionately affects the County’s Environmental Justice communities. The CAP benefits all of us through reduced pollution, better health outcomes, and measures focusing investments in Environmental Justice communities. Each measure in the CAP includes icons representing co-benefits such as public health and wellbeing, equity, air quality, resource preservation, infrastructure reliability, and carbon sequestration. Several measures specifically identify prioritizing implementation in Environmental Justice communities to improve the urban forest, enhance availability of transit, improve existing building energy efficiency, and increase EV charging and ZEV infrastructure.

How will the CAP be implemented and how can the public keep up to date?

The CAP will be implemented by several County departments as further detailed in Chapter 4 of the CAP. Annual GHG inventories and progress reports will be published on the County’s Sustainability Dashboard and presented to the Board of Supervisors at least once a year.

Planning and Environmental Review