The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday didn’t postpone a carbon neutrality goal after dozens of climate activists pushed back against proposed changes.
County staff had recommended the board change the goal from 2030 to no later than 2045 in order to match state plans, make the timeline more achievable and reduce the risk of lawsuits.
Instead of approving or rejecting the suggested update, the board asked staff to present another version of the climate emergency declaration in late September or early October. In a 3-1 vote, with Supervisor Sue Frost abstaining, the board requested revisions including adding a requirement to measure progress on reducing emissions every five years.
“I would think it would be perhaps premature to mess with the year today,” Supervisor Phil Serna said.
The board first passed the climate emergency declaration, which includes the 2030 goal, in December 2020. Two years later, the state passed Assembly Bill 1279, which outlines the statewide plan of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. That means the state aims to reduce emissions to the point where the same amount is released into the atmosphere as is absorbed. The bill also sets a goal of reducing human-caused greenhouse gas emissions to at least 85% below 1990 levels by the same year.
The statewide goals don’t prevent local governments from setting more ambitious timelines, however. The City of Davis aims to reach carbon neutrality by 2040 and passed its latest climate plan in April. Similar to the state, the City of Sacramento has a 2045 carbon neutrality goal.
Environmental activist groups including the Sacramento Climate Coalition opposed postponing the county’s current 2030 goal, arguing it should keep the ambitious target to alleviate environmental issues. Saheb Gulati, who serves on the county’s Climate Emergency Mobilitation Task force, was among those who attended a rally before the board discussion. Activists chanted “vote 2030, not 45, help Sacramentans live and thrive” in front of a stuffed planet on a hospital gurney.
Speaking individually and not on behalf of the task force, Gulati said delaying the 2030 goal would take the county a step backward and contradict the emergency declaration’s urgent nature.
“The real risk lies in falling behind and not taking action,” Gulati said. “I’m sure anybody who’s worked with a tough deadline versus a loose deadline knows that when you have a tight deadline, even if you don’t make it, at least you get something done.”
Tuesday’s decision to postpone updating the climate emergency declaration came after the county has repeatedly delayed adopting a Climate Action Plan (CAP) outlining how it could achieve carbon neutrality. Supervisors discussed final drafts of the plan in multiple hearings last year, including in March and September. In November, the county announced it aimed to adopt the plan in 2023 so it could spend more time responding to public comments.
As of Tuesday, the county has yet to approve a final CAP. Supervising Deputy County Counsel June Powells-Mays said inconsistencies between the draft CAP and the emergency declaration is one reason they recommended changing the 2030 goal. The county received a letter from a law firm saying the inconsistencies could be the basis for a lawsuit, Powells-Mays said.
Supervisor Patrick Kennedy, who cast the sole vote against continuing to discuss updating the emergency declaration, asked staff if they could change the CAP instead. He supported keeping the 2030 date, arguing the county should keep the stretch goal. But Powells-Mays said the 2030 goal isn’t attainable.
Supervisor Sue Frost didn’t specify why she abstained, but said earlier in the meeting that she didn’t support the emergency declaration three years ago. Like Supervisor Pat Hume, Frost also said she was in favor of extending the carbon neutrality goal as staff recommended.
“2030 is just not achievable,” Frost said. “It’s just not and it makes sense to be realistic about the timing of 2045.”
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