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City of Alameda, California, Makes Progress on Climate Goals

The public power city of Alameda, Calif., is making progress on its climate goals, achieving a 29% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since 2005.

However, additional local measures are needed to meet climate targets for 2030, the city said recently.

The city is seeking public feedback on the Draft Climate Action and Resiliency Plan (CARP) Update and Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan and includes an updated vision and goals, updated GHG mitigation and resilience measures, and 19 location-based priority strategies to respond to flooding and sea level rise. 

The deadline to provide feedback has been extended until January 26, 2025.

A Greenhouse Gas Inventory conducted as part of the Climate Action and Resiliency Plan update shows between 2005 and 2022, Alameda’s total emissions decreased by approximately 29% despite population and service population growth.

Alameda is over halfway to achieving its goal of reducing emissions by 50% by 2030.

This reduction has mainly been driven by Alameda Municipal Power’s shift to providing 100% clean energy in 2020 and lower transportation emissions (by about 25%) due to cleaner vehicles, reduced vehicle miles traveled (VMT), and more efficient off-road equipment (such as lawn mowers and leaf blowers).

Natural gas emissions also decreased by about 6% due to reduced residential natural gas usage.

Emissions are expected to continue to decrease in the coming years because of adopted State policies, but not enough to meet Climate Action and Resiliency Plan targets without also implementing additional local measures. Projected emissions, adjusted for State policy, are estimated to decrease an additional 10% from 2022 to 2030. 

To meet Climate Action and Resiliency Plan targets, an additional 11% emissions reduction needs to be achieved by local policies.

Key accomplishments since adoption of the 2019 Climate Action and Resiliency Plan, include:

  • 100% clean energy from AMP
  • Hiring the City’s first Sustainability and Resilience Manager and a Sea Level Rise Adaptation Project Manager
  • Convening the Oakland Alameda Adaptation Committee to accelerate sea level rise adaptation, protect and restore water quality, habitat, and recreation, and promote community resilience
  • Adopting the Active Transportation Plan, delineating pedestrian improvements, a low-stress bicycle network, project prioritization, and the future of Slow Streets
  • Adopting the Equitable Building Decarbonization Plan that lays out the process for transitioning natural gas use in existing buildings toward clean, energy efficient all-electric buildings
  • Launching the Alameda Youth Climate Ambassadors Program with City sustainability staff and youth representing environmental clubs at Alameda middle and high schools
  • An Urban Forest Plan and Zero Waste Implementation Plan update are both in process and planned for adoption in 2025
  • A pilot program is in development to expand public EV charging in Alameda parking lots and curbside locations in 2025
  • AMP continues to offer a range of rebates to switch home appliances from gas to electric and install residential and workplace EV chargers

A virtual public workshop was held on December 18th to share the draft plan and hear community feedback.   

The plan and 2024 annual report will be shared with Alameda boards and commissions and the City Council in February and March. 

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