Climate Action Plan

DRAFT Climate Action Plan

About the Climate Action Plan

A Climate Action Plan (CAP) is a document that will identify ways in which Sunnyvale can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and provide guidance for adapting to the anticipated effects of climate change.

A CAP outlines transportation, land use, energy, and waste reduction measures to achieve its reduction target and proposes a timeline for implementation. Climate Action Plans are becoming increasingly popular as a way to spread awareness of climate change, reduce an area's impact on the environment, and save money on energy bills. Climate Action Plans also support the goals and policies of AB 32 – The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006.

The CAP will analyze GHG emissions within the Sunnyvale community. This analysis will quantify the City’s GHG emissions released from energy use, vehicle miles, waste production, and water usage. From these baseline emissions levels, the City will create an estimate of year 2020 and year 2035 emissions levels based on anticipated population and employment growth, which will help identify which sectors require the most attention. The baseline emissions levels will also provide information for the City to select GHG reduction targets. A common reduction target is the State-recommended 15 percent reduction below present levels by year 2020.

The CAP will be implemented through a variety of programs and with extensive public involvement. Sunnyvale residents, businesses, and government will collectively play a role in achieving the goals of the CAP and, in turn, a sustainable future. The CAP process will highlight the most effective ways to reduce GHG emissions, specifically for Sunnyvale.

The LUTE and CAP Relationship

The Land Use and Transportation Element (LUTE) focuses on land use, transportation, and related items within Sunnyvale, while the CAP is an overarching document focusing on other sectors of sustainable development in addition to transportation and land use. The transportation and land use portion of the CAP will include the applicable goals and policies of the LUTE that affect the CAP. The LUTE will include policies from the CAP that affect land use and transportation. The CAP will have chapters for energy use and renewable energy policies, waste reduction policies, and water conservation policies in addition to transportation and land use. Lastly, the CAP will also include a quantitative analysis of the GHG reduction benefit and estimated monetary cost of each goal and policy.

The Environmental Impact Report

The LUTE and CAP Environmental Impact Report (EIR) will analyze the potential environmental impacts of LUTE and CAP policies and will offer ways to mitigate those impacts to a less than significant level, if feasible. The EIR will help bring the City’s General Plan into compliance with recent state legislation. The EIR will also streamline the review of potential development projects under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) when those proposed projects are consistent with applicable policy documents.