Nonprofit grades San Diego-area cities' climate plans
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Climate plans in Carlsbad, Encinitas and La Mesa got the top marks in a new countywide report card from the nonprofit Climate Action Campaign.
Why it matters: California needs to nearly triple the rate at which it has cut greenhouse gasses since 2010 if it's going to meet its 2030 emissions target.
- The state has cut emissions about 1.5% per year since 2010 but needs to shave 4.4% each year to reach its goal.
Catch up quick: Eight cities have "legally enforceable" climate action plans, meaning they not only set emission-reduction targets and outlined policies needed to meet them, but are subject to lawsuits if they don't follow through.
- CAC sued the city of San Diego in 2022 over its plan and reached a settlement earlier this year that commits the city to produce annual progress reports, hold public hearings and plan changes if it falls short.
Driving the news: This year's report card only graded cities by how well they're implementing their climate plans, not the loftiness of their blueprints.
- "Without implementation plans and funding dollars, it makes climate action plans aspirational — they don't mean a lot without actual action," said Anthony Dang, the report's author.
Case in point: Cities that pledged to reduce driving should immediately spend on "complete streets" projects, Dang said.
Friction point: Many city plans call to electrify buildings — phasing out gas-burning appliances for electric alternatives — by prohibiting gas plumbing in new construction.
- That effort suffered a major blow when a state appeals court ruled the city of Berkeley's ordinance was illegal.
- CAC praised Encinitas for pursuing another route — a code that allows gas plumbing but incentivizes all-electric construction to make it the cheaper option.
- "That's what we consider the gold standard going forward," said Anthony Dang, the report's author.
State of play: Carlsbad, Encinitas and La Mesa got the top grades for taking steps to implement their already-adopted plans.
- San Diego, Oceanside, Chula Vista, Escondido, San Marcos and Vista got middling marks for dragging their feet on turning aspirations into action.
- San Diego's grade did not account for implementation requirements included in its settlement of the CAC lawsuit because that begins next year.
What we're watching: The San Diego Association of Governments received a $1 million grant from the EPA to produce a climate action plan for the entire region.
- It released an initial report in March and needs to produce a comprehensive plan by next July.
- "Climate change doesn't know what municipal boundaries are," Dang said. "We have to work collaboratively as a region."