Resources for Local Governments
San Francisco Bay Area Climate Action Portal
The District's gateway to climate action in the SF Bay area. Explore local government best practices, resources for implementation, local events and more: www.baaqmd.gov/climateplanning.
Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG)
ABAG coordinates a host of regional planning and local service programs. Among them is the Focusing Our Vision or "FOCUS" program which builds on existing progress related to smart growth to meld local and regional objectives into a refined development strategy for the Bay Area. ABAG also serves as the regional Census Data Center and publishes its own Demographic and Economic forecasts. ABAG Energy Watch helps local governments implement cost-effective, energy saving projects in public facilities. The Green Business Program assists, verifies and recognizes businesses that operate in an environmentally responsible way.
Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC)
BCDC is dedicated to the protection and enhancement of the San Francisco Bay and to the encouragement of the Bay's responsible use, and administers a variety of services and programs including climate change planning. BCDC is focusing on developing strategies to reduce the regional’s vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. Goals include identification and reporting on the impacts of climate change, identification of strategies for adapting to climate change, development of a regional task force to inform and coordinate local government, stakeholders and land use planning bodies on the impact of climate change, and the identification of policies in the SF Bay Area pertaining to climate change. Special programs include Adapting to Riding Tides, the Rising Tides Design Competition, and the Sub-tidal Habitat Goals Project.
Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC)
MTC is the transportation planning, coordinating and financing agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. MTC has developed policies, funding programs, and technical studies to enhance transportation alternatives and encourage smart growth in the Bay Area. MTC provides technical assistance and capital grants to assist local governments in various projects such as transit oriented development, transit station area plans, multmodal travel, and parking policies. MTC is also acting as the lead agency for implementing Senate Bill 375 in the Bay Area.
Joint Policy Committee (JPC)
JPC coordinates the regional planning efforts of the Air District, Association of Bay Area Governments, the Bay Conservation and Development Commission, and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. Among the JPC's current initiatives are focused growth, climate protection, and facilitating the implementation of SB 375.
Local Government Commission
The Local Government Commission assists local governments in establishing and nurturing the key elements of livable communities. Current climate protection activities include an AB 32 Implementation Project.
California Air Pollution Control Officers' Association (CAPCOA)
CAPCOA is an Association of Air Pollution Control Officers representing all thirty-five local air quality agencies throughout California. CAPCOA has released a number of policy documents addressing climate change including, “Quantifying GHG Mitigation Measures,” “CEQA & Climate Change,” and “Model Policies for GHG in General Plans.” Download the documents here.
California Air Resources Board (ARB)
Through the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, AB 32, ARB has been tasked with developing Early Action Measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Among the 44 adopted measures, is the development of local government greenhouse gas reduction guidance/protocols.
The Act also requires ARB to develop a Scoping Plan to outline the main strategies California will use to reduce the greenhouse gases (GHG) that cause climate change. it will include a range of actions which can include direct regulations, alternative compliance mechanisms, monetary and non-monetary incentives, voluntary actions, and market-based mechanisms such as a cap-and-trade system.
California Climate Action Team
Led by the Secretary of Cal EPA, this team convenes top officials from California agencies. In particular, the Land Use Subcommittee, coordinated by the Chair of the California Energy Commission, addresses and makes recommendations on land use and smart growth tools for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The Climate Protection Campaign Governor's Office of Planning and Research (OPR)
Pursuant to Senate Bill 97, OPR is in the process of developing CEQA guidelines “for the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions or the effects of greenhouse gas emissions.” due to the Resources Agency on or before July 1, 2009. See OPR's website for a list of environmental documents addressing climate change and a list of City and County plans addressing climate change.
California Climate Action Network (CCAN)/Institute for Local Government (ILG)
The California Climate Action Network was formed to help California communities play a leadership role both to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to prepare for the consequences of climate change. See CCAN's Best Practices Framework, recordings of a Climate 101 seminar, and a host of other helpful information.
Office of the Attorney General
Covers extensive information on global warming, along with CEQA comment letters written by the Attorney General's office, a list of mitigation measures, and a summary of modeling tools to estimate greenhouse gas emissions from projects and plans.
Sustainable Silicon Valley (SSV)
SSV is a collaboration of businesses, governments, and non-governmental organizations working work to reduce regional carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions 20% below 1990 levels by 2010. Visit SSV's website for a list of helpful educational forums and focused monthly meetings.
Joint Venture Silicon Valley Network
Joint Venture Silicon Valley Network has created a climate protection task force composed of representatives from almost every city and county in Silicon Valley, plus several special districts and representatives from Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) and SunPower. The Task Force seeks to develop effective, collaborative, solutions for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from public agency operations, by providing a neutral forum for city and county government agencies and special districts to learn from each other and from others about climate protection programs.
Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E)
PG&E recognizes the link between greenhouse gas emissions and the Earth's warming climate, and is committed to fighting climate change. See PG&E's website for additional information on climate change programs, including The Carbon Disclosure Project, the ClimateSmart program, and other emission reduction solutions.
ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability
ICLEI is an international organization with US headquarters in the Bay Area that provides resources, tools, peer networking, best practices, and technical assistance to help local governments measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in their communities.