HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 11142006 - SD.10 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
8E L
Contra
FROM: Mark DeSaulnier ;.
x, 'z Costa
DATE: November 14, 2006 `'5 .. ' County
ST4 COUNT
SUBJECT: ICLEI MEMBERSHIP
D- 10
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS-
-740
1. APPROVE Resolution 2006/W to join ICLEI—Local Governments for Sustainability
(formerly known as International Council of Environmental Initiatives) Cities for Climate
Protection(CCP) Campaign. (Attachment A)
2. AUTHORIZE the Climate Change Working Group to submit application and
membership dues of$5,750 on or after January 1, 2007.
3. AUTHORIZE the Climate Change Working Group to conduct greenhouse gas emissions
inventory using a part-time intern funded by County Health Services Department-
Hazardous Materials Division with the assistance of ICLEI.
FISCAL IMPACT'
Initial annual membership fee of$5,750 to be paid from funding set aside previously by the
Office of Supervisor Mark DeSaulnier for the Department of Employment and Human Services'
Family and Children Policy Forum. The County Health Services Department - Hazardous
Materials Division is prepared to provide funding in the amount of$2,500 to pay an intern to
conduct the greenhouse gas emissions inventory with the assistance of the ICLEI CCP Campaign
staff and resources. No specific costs or funding sources for the development and implementation
of a climate action plan have yet been identified.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
STGNATT iRF.(S)c
ACTION OF BOARD ON PPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
UNANIMOUS(ABSENT AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: NOES:----- AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: A TAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
ATTESTED -D0 }C4UL'� 14 1 joO )6
JOHN CULLEN,CLERK OF TAE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
Contact:
cc: BOS
CAO < <
BY DEPUTY
BACKGROUND:
Contra Costa County recognizes that climate change is one of the most critical sustainability
issues threatening the long-term human and environmental health, social well-being, and
economic vitality of our community. The County also realizes that local leadership is critical to
address this urgent issue. Without rapid and significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions,
higher temperatures will create severe local effects. These may include several feet of sea level
rise, water shortages due to loss of Sierra snow pack, increased frequency of critically dry years
and large wildfires, reduced agricultural and forest yields, and increased heat- and smog-related
deaths.
The County Board of Supervisors originally formed the Climate Change Working Group in May
2005. The County's Climate Change Working Group is comprised of the Agricultural
Commissioner and the Directors of the Building Inspection Department, Community
Development Department, General Services Department, Health Services Department and Public
Works Department. The Board of Supervisors directed the Climate Change Working Group to
inventory the actions that the County has taken to date which potentially reduce greenhouse gas
emissions. This listing of actions that have been partially or fully implemented by the County is
contained within the Contra Costa County Climate Protection Report dated November 2005.
This Report also contains a listing of measures/actions the County could consider implementing
or expanding upon to reduce GHG emissions generated directly as a result of County operations
(including County owned or maintained buildings, vehicles and right-of-way) or generated by
sources within the private sector that potentially fall within the County's authority.
The Climate Protection Report also includes information regarding some potential benefits of
joining ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability(formerly known as the International
Council for Local Environmental Initiatives) Cities for Climate Protection(CCP) Campaign to
build on the County's existing climate protection efforts such as energy efficiency.
DESCRIPTION OF ICLEI s CCP CAMPAIGN-
ICLEI is an international membership association of local governments dedicated to addressing
environmental problems through local actions. ICLEI works with local governments to help
them reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and therefore their impact on global climate change.
ICLEI's Cities for Climate Protection(CCP) Campaign is a program designed to motivate and
empower local govermnents worldwide to take action on climate change. CCP is a performance-
oriented campaign that offers a framework for local governments to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions and improve livability within their municipalities. More than 170 cities, towns, and
counties in the United States and over 700 worldwide participate in the Cities for Climate
Protection Campaign, which began in 1993.
By joining local governments around the world in the internationally-proven approach of the
CCP,the County can capitalize on the experience and knowledge of other government entities in
the ICLEI network. Once municipalities make the commitment to participate in the CCP
Campaign, ICLEI provides experienced staff, software tools, and a wide variety of programs and
technical assistance to help local governments reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Local governments begin participating in the CCP Campaign by passing a resolution pledging to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their municipal operations and throughout their
communities. The process is not linear and consists of working through five CCP Milestones:
1. Conduct a local inventory and forecast of greenhouse gas emissions
2. Establish greenhouse gas reduction targets
3. Draft an action plan to achieve the greenhouse gas reduction targets
4. Implement the climate action plan
5. Evaluate &report on progress
NEXT STEPS
The attached Resolution(Attachment A)pledges to build upon the County's existing cross-
departmental approach to climate protection by joining ICLEI's CCP and initiating a greenhouse
gas emissions inventory.
The greenhouse gas emissions inventory is the first CCP Milestone. Conducting the emissions
inventory will enable the County to quantify emissions from the overall community(external)
and municipal operations (internal). This inventory would serve as a baseline for comparison
purposes to see how local emissions change over time. By using local energy and waste data, the
County can establish its baseline inventory and develop a forecast of anticipated future
emissions. The baseline inventory can also be helpful when setting an emissions reduction target
(second CCP Milestone) and measuring future progress (fifth CCP Milestone).
As a participant in ICLEI's CCP Campaign, the County will have access to information and
resources to help identify the feasibility and effectiveness of the new and expanded measures
identified in the County's Climate Protection Report dated November 2005. Furthermore, by
conducting the emissions inventory utilizing ICLEI's framework allows the County to:
o Utilize ICLEI's software and associated training to assist with quantifying emissions,
o Access ICLEI's technical assistance and their professional network of peers,
o Involve county departments who later become essential to creating and implementing the
action plan,
o Quantify emissions reductions from the actions the county has already implemented,
o Quantify potential emissions reductions of new or expanded measures prior to
committing resources/staff,
o Document emissions reduction efforts in a manner that is comparable to others which
may become important as the State moves forward with efforts to mandate reduction of
greenhouse gases emissions.
ICLEI provides members with notification of relevant grant opportunities, which can be very
valuable. New dedicated funding will be critical to pay for the development of a climate action
plan(third CCP Milestone) and implement effective long-term emission reduction strategies
(fourth CCP Milestone).
The County's Climate Protection Report contains most of the elements of a local climate actio_n
plan(third CCP Milestone). The climate action plan represents the local blueprint for climate
protection, which should include the set of programs and policies the jurisdiction will implement
in order to achieve its chosen emissions reduction targets. The climate action plan should include
existing initiatives implemented, as well as potential new policies and programs that, when fully
implemented, will help meet the chosen emissions reduction targets.
ADDENDUM TO SD.10
November 14, 2006
On this day the Board considered adopting Resolution No. 2006/740 authorizing Contra
Costa County to join the nonprofit environmental organization ICLEI—Local
Governments for Sustainability; authorizing the Climate Change Working Group to
submit an application and membership dues to ICLEI in the amount of$5,750 on or after
January 1, 2007; and authorizing the Climate Change Working Group to conduct a
greenhouse gas emissions inventory using a part-time intern funded by County Health
Services Department—Hazardous Materials Division with the assistance of ICLEI.
Greg Bedard, Chief of Staff for District IV, said Supervisor DeSaulnier would like the
County to join ICLEI (formerly known as International Council of Environmental
Initiatives). Mr. Bedard said given the fact Supervisor DeSaulnier is winding down his
time with the County consideration to postpone this item and return at a future date
would be the suitable thing to do.
Deirdre Dingmam, Community Development Department, noted members of ICLEI look
at greenhouse emissions from local municipalities. She said the Hazardous Materials
Division of the Health Services Department has agreed to fund a part-time intern to
conduct a greenhouse gas emissions inventory.
John Cullen, County Administrator, said if a policy decision is made by the Board to join
ICLEI he would recommend the Board approve item Number 1 to approve Resolution
2006/740 to join ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability(formerly known as
International Council of Environmental Initiatives) Cities for Climate Protection (CCP)
Campaign, and work with affected Departments to coordinate next steps and return later
to the Board. Mr. Cullen said his office and a couple of other Departments would touch
base with the Climate Change Working Group of the Health Services Department
Hazardous Materials Division, to make sure they are all on the same page.
Supervisor Uilkema expressed interest in receiving background related to the County's Climate
Change Working Group and an update on the County's efforts so far. Supervisor Uilkema said
this might be an opportunity to integrate the County's efforts with the work of other
regional groups.
Chair Gioia noted this membership is unique to municipalities, cities and counties.
Supervisor Glover said being a part of the organization would allow us to use some of
those best practices that others have already implemented. He noted the membership fees
are minimal.
By a unanimous vote with Supervisor DeSaulnier, District IV, absent, the Board took the
following action:
ADOPTED recommendation numbers 1 and 2 from the Board Order; and DIRECTED
the County Administrator to return with details on item number 3, "to authorize the
Climate Change Working Group to conduct greenhouse gas emissions inventory using a
part-time intern funded by County Health Services Department-Hazardous Materials
Division with the assistance of ICLET"
6E L
Contra
IN THE MATTER OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY _ Costa
MEMBERSHIP IN ICLEI - LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ' s
FOR SUSTAINABILITY, CITIES FOR "�s; ^- � County
a�ssN
CLIMATE PROTECTION CAMPAIGN
RESOLUTION NO. 2006/off
WHEREAS, scientific consensus has developed that carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse
gases released into the atmosphere have a profound effect on the Earth's climate and in 2006 the
U.S. National Climatic Data Center confirmed clear evidence of human influences on climate due to
changes in greenhouse gases; and
WHEREAS, the State of California Executive Order S-3-05 approved in 2005 establishes greenhouse
gas reduction targets for California including reducing emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 and to 80
percent below 1990 levels by 2050; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Conference of Mayors endorsed the 2005 U.S. Mayors' Climate Protection
Agreement which has been signed by 294 mayors in the United States as of September 2006; and
WHEREAS, the Urban Environmental Accords adopted by local government delegates during UN
World Environment Day 2005 call for reduced emissions through energy efficiency, land use and
transportation planning, waste reduction, and wise energy management; and
WHEREAS, in 2003 the American Geophysical Union adopted a Statement noting that natural
influences cannot explain the rapid increase in near-surface temperatures observes during the second
half of the 20th century; and
WHEREAS, in 2001 the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) reviewed and declared global warming
a real problem caused in part by the actions of humankind and the Third Assessment Report from the
International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the 2000 U.S. Global Change Research
Program's (USGCRP) First National Assessment indicated that global warming has begun; and
WHEREAS, 162 countries including the United States pledged under the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions; and
WHEREAS, energy consumption, specifically the burning of fossil fuels, accounts for more then 80%
of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has
determined that stabilizing concentrations of climate-altering gases in the atmosphere will require
significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions; and
WHEREAS, the physical consequences of climate change are already evident, including rising sea
levels, increased hurricane intensity, and species migration; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency predicts severe impacts from climate change
in the State of California, which will affect Contra Costa County on the local scale: increased
temperatures threaten to impair air quality, reduce the Sierra snow pack and adversely impact human
health; rising sea levels threaten levees and natural habitats; and
WHEREAS, economic impacts of climate change such as higher prices for food, water, and energy as
well as health care costs threaten to disproportionately burden low-income households and the
productivity of businesses could be undermined by global warming effects such as damage to public
infrastructure, higher operating costs, and reduced production in the County's agricultural sector; and
WHEREAS, many of the practices and technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, some of
which have been successfully implemented by the County, also generate cost savings, and mitigation
actions are an investment in reducing future costs of adapting to global warming effects; and
WHEREAS, local governments can lead by example in the operation of governmental facilities and by
supporting climate change mitigation strategies which enhance the community's quality of life; and
WHEREAS, local government actions taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase
energy efficiency provide multiple local benefits by decreasing air pollution, reducing energy
expenditures, and saving money for the local government, its businesses and its residents; and
WHEREAS, the County recognizes that climate change is one of the most critical sustainability issues
threatening the long-term human and environmental health, social well-being, and economic vitality of
the community; and
WHEREAS, by choosing to join over 670 local governments around the world in the Cities for Climate
Protection Campaign (CCP) sponsored by ICLEI — Local Governments for Sustainability (formerly
known as the International Council of Environmental Initiatives), the County can learn from the
experience and knowledge of other government entities through the network coordinated by ICLEI;
and
WHEREAS, participating in the five milestones of the CCP will provide a means of identifying and
acting on opportunities to improve community livability, sustainability, and enhance quality of life;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the County of Contra Costa, California will join ICLEI —
Local Governments for Sustainability and participate in the CCP Campaign and, as a participant,
pledges to take a leadership role in promoting public awareness about the causes and impacts of
climate change.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Contra Costa County will undertake the CCP Campaign's five
milestones to reduce both greenhouse gas and air pollution emissions throughout the community, and
specifically:
• Conduct a greenhouse gas emissions inventory and forecast to determine the source and
quantity of greenhouse gas emissions in the jurisdiction;
■ Establish a greenhouse gas emissions reduction target;
■ Develop an action plan with both existing and future actions with when implemented will meet
the local greenhouse gas reduction target;
■ Implement the action plan; and
■ Monitor and report progress; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Climate Change Working Group, County Administrator's
Office and associated entities will use a collaborative cross-agency approach to progress through the
milestones and contribute to the successful achievement of County greenhouse gas reduction targets
and to prepare for future effects of global warming; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the County requests assistance from ICLEI's CCP Campaign and
shall seek the participation, as appropriate, of internal and external stakeholder groups to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and encourage other local governments in the County to adopt a similar
resolution.
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS:
UNANIMOUS(ABSENT __TV )
AYES: ' NOES:
ABSENT: ABSTAIN:
Witness my hand and the Seal of the Board of Supervisors
affixed on this 14`h day of November, 2006.
JOHN CULLEN, Clerk of the Board of Supervisors and
County A inistrator.
By:
Deputv
RESOLUTION NO. 2006/
'
tt
ala 4 St•M,. � r u `I tJ r r �k,'t 3t ti�74�LN r��t Y q}�( y�
OF
}1t
±:t "�} �'..k.. "•y! + rpt }.. A.` r'Ats'r Qtr""$��; xx.A �
`-t. r �f. ',i' � � k4,i�.' :, � l,a •z 1 rt,..e je
"l, f4 � � I�I� >< '� s4� 4 i °ti � �°p y� ' sy•q��t" 'i;
a :. y i�t 'r 4 _ •� r S"x a� e��� -tt t���s1�'t�ytJ� {awM1y ��'S' ;.
MAP.
+^€�b4
� i'Pr� � C� .k� �3+'m a:, ' 4rA � a..j1; '4a�sx d• x ���l�i{L
�I � ',}� -i`' Y Kal 1 t- •�il.f t l� 3 I `i ��:
it
}t 'k y( 0
r} =P(t" r�� s4 ° r v ��.fn r�rplj4l max, aFs,t'ti 1
n x Qr !I filar r
d} a: "'PUS
�{v�,
a
�>. �I � •. � �Y�,t Irq I rar x irr 3'=:� ya� �•��}n��m� r 5 t� � t" {�t•' V! t.
} e Ai
i
l
�4 utl
.1 ';� { .S{`1 .x,•�µ�'`,la�L p n�xk�rt n 4,6� {� � ��I q �,t vi�f �+i r i +.- lxt�,��rl �1
t• ? r, 6 S'Y �' h, k v sy rilsy>'4i �L }ti I a
Z40,11 t ...,'a te x 'h .�F 1�r i h i �, t ,ylx rl t� t rt } �.+r of !•
7.
x !� �� 1� � � ax d a.t R5'� rty y,� f ,y }, �y �``•.
�e'�x�pl,.�., ..t��. � ��•���r �I N�,. wY -
,�4:*
14 Pi,} YP� r`tif 'Y1tl� 1 I' I
k ,
AA' tv ti
5n
r I��i#t t }��� k� k r' 1` •54�1� +� y�M ��x 2
.L _ t�4 'r��' "•�s�.��`R 3�J 5 j" i'�J ij�;� ��i t �t i�^�° t ���a I^�
1 H e
1l2' �r
t 'F
` 12„ i f' it :f^ n If�3•m"r�u 7n .t 7p,"
I
"k•.' �a a � xfi. t �t� r � P t ��ixi ¢" t, �a�l� x# Ip° a�.
I" t"
y .
'„� � w. T•a' r�51s
„�k. a fg1.rj, i Axa v y 4 4 1 fel yri x,
.i - r to r� •' S y ?1iissy���55,(��yy 4 r +r ,., :Y d ryEK"w. t
1' 7t1
y4. rr E
%a z•x PL tl r,,5'f�s * 'Sr fi• y r
'aK��'t''
x'� w. s� rt �. s.i' � y >-, i �'�.t I k a r '°K�nu �kf K t i I .I a I':•.
b
i �
;, ,:' ,.•. ..� ar�a r +,rsJ4��.��pjlt>�����'�'��y,.. ti'y u.�,.��-t�7����; �rvtnY1;��.4 .',t �,�ti'k� `* ti '+f�w��t ° i���.
r'
f° '�',�� �e�x=. �"kq'.• '� rz�5°t�E xl'� d'3� yt t x '}:
1 ' � • Ufa S`t+ ��b ,�w s 3 x '�k
f y f �_. J-�� 5 �„'�.r �„+�}'W yin 3'xG6 k„t 3 .4 {. •,.
"�; t' ;y 5 rp' "'” �'� ;�'�� !a{'�E'Art�``„v,"X•,3'Sa'w n r � , t.A �
'.k 7 Y � ". r dl - ..`' yra to x5�as`�� fi��i�r s � a a" N hf,} �- � �•^
k t a.::i5 y �. rf� '� , ''4�i°a„`•rt�'a� K'b.fa. � �_ �'� x, i;r t f �:1
w 'k ,+ rt= •r� �� � Il �° � I � r 1 � i
tr+}S r N
' I V