HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 4.C 05/06/2019I85$
DATE: May 6, 2019
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT
Agenda Item #4.0
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council through City Manager
Peggy Flynn, City Manager
Eric Danly, City Attorney
Petaluma Climate Goals and Proposed Resolution Declaring a Climate
Emergency
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council provide staff direction regarding further research and
analysis regarding potential adoption of a climate emergency resolution proposed by the
Petaluma Climate Action Campaign. The Council may want to consider appointing an ad hoc
Council subcommittee of 3 or fewer Council Members to work with staff regarding further
review of issues addressed in the attached resolution in preparation for returning to the full City
Council for further direction and possible action on a climate resolution.
BACKGROUND
The issue of climate change and related issues such as sustainable practices regarding air quality,
development, energy use, transit and transportation, waste management, etc., continues to figure
prominently in policy discussions of the Petaluma City Council. Prior to the April 6, 2019 City
Council Goal -Setting Workshop, the Climate Action Campaigna local community group
comprising members of nonprofits, residents, and local businesses --provided a memo urging the
City Council to include the following in its 2019-2020 goal setting priorities: 1) adoption of a
resolution declaring a climate emergency; 2) creation of a Petaluma climate cabinet; and 3)
establishing accountability for Petaluma's climate goals. Additionally, Councilmember D'Lynda
Fischer requested on April 8, 2019, that the adoption of a climate emergency resolution be
agendized for Council consideration. The purpose of this agenda item is to provide some initial
staff feedback regarding the proposed resolution and to receive initial Council direction
regarding further action.
DISCUSSION
a. The Petaluma Climate Action Campaign memo
The memo the Petaluma Climate Action Campaign submitted urging adoption of a climate
emergency resolution makes a number of factual assertions regarding global climate change and
efforts required to halt its advance, including:
1. The signatory countries to the 2015 Paris Agreement committed to keeping global
warming in this century to well below 2° C and to pursue efforts to limit
temperature increase to 1.5° C.
2. The 2018 international Panel on Climate Change Special Report on Global
Warming estimates that humans have already caused global warming of 1.0° C
above pre -industrial levels, and that having a 66% chance of limiting global
warming to 1.5° C would require not exceeding 10 years of current -level
greenhouse gas emissions.
3. Global wanning has contributed to the frequency and intensity of wildfires,
floods, droughts, heatwaves and hurricanes.
4. Northern California wildfires in 2017 and 2018 destroyed 38,333 structures, killed
118, displaced thousands, and reduced air quality.
5. At 2-3 feet of sea -level rise, parts of Petaluma would be underwater, and there is a
possibility of 6.5 feet or more of sea level rise by 2100.
6. Climate change is playing a role in the 6th mass extinction of species.
b. The draft climate emergency resolution
The draft climate emergency resolution the Petaluma Climate Action Campaign submitted along
with its memo would commit the City to a number of policy objectives, including:
1. Elevating climate issues to the highest priority in goal setting, giving precedence
to climate mitigation and adaptation when evaluating policies, purchases, projects,
and resource allocation, and seeking financial and regulatory support for such
efforts.
2. Committing the City to reducing City-wide greenhouse gas emissions to carbon
neutrality as quickly as possible and no later than by 2045.
3. Directing the Regional Climate Protection Authority to immediately make a
comprehensive assessment of current City-wide greenhouse gas emissions and to
track and publicly report annually on City progress toward zero net emissions.
4. Creation of a climate cabinet and partnering with local and regional agencies to
meet commitments made in the Regional Climate Protection Authority Climate
Action 2020 plan and 2045 General Plan.
2
c. City practice regarding policies advocated by community and regional
stakeholders
Frequently, interest groups, other local agencies in the region, state-wide bodies like the League
of California Cities, and others, have contacted Petaluma Council Members, Council appointees
and staff seeking City endorsements and support regarding proposed new or model legislation,
amicus support for pending litigation, and adoption of local policies intended to improve local
government. Such outreach has helped strengthen and improve governmental collaboration and
advancement of beneficial local government policies regionally and statewide. At the same time,
Petaluma City Councils have a long-standing tradition of directing staff to engage substantively
with such proposals and recommended legislation and policies to ensure any Petaluma City
Council action is fully informed, and also that resulting actions are particularly tailored to the
Petaluma community, including its history, resources, balance of stakeholder interests and
desired outcomes. Petaluma City Council's have rarely supported adoption of proposed model
legislation unmodified, and rather have tended to provide direction to ensure that any resulting
enactments are meaningful, Petaluma -specific, and can be implemented by City staff.
d. Potential further actions
In view of the City's past practice regarding stakeholder proposals for major new City policies,
staff recommend that the Council direct staff to engage with the Petaluma Climate Action
Campaign and other stakeholders, and conduct further research regarding the commitments being
urged in the proposed resolution. Some topics of potential further consideration and research
include:
1. How does the elevation of climate issues as the highest City priority relate to the
City's current General Plan policies, including housing policies, the City's
purchasing ordinance, and budget making process? Would implementation
require changes to such existing City legislation and planning documents? What
are potential externally -available funding resources for such efforts?
2. What does carbon neutrality actually mean as intended in the draft resolution?
What are the means available to the City for reducing greenhouse gas emissions
City-wide (as opposed to regarding only City operations), and for verifying those
reductions? Is carbon neutrality by 2045 feasible for the City? To what extent?
3. Does the City have the ability or authority to direct the Regional Climate
Protection Authority to assess City-wide greenhouse gas emissions? Is there a
cost of doing so, and of reporting on reduction efforts? Will such reporting be
meaningful if the City is limited in its ability to require City-wide greenhouse gas
emissions?
4. What are the commitments made in the Regional Climate Protection Authority's
Climate Action 2020 plan? Are they commitments within the City's authority and
available resources to make such that they could be integrated in the City's 2045
General Plan?
5. What does zero net emissions mean as intended in the draft resolution? Is that a
feasible objective. To the extent it is, what are the steps that would be needed to
attain that? Are the steps ones that the City can adopt, require and/or promote?
And what are the bases for doing so?
If the Council supports directing staff to conduct further research to address the City's authority,
ability and means for implementing proposed climate protection objectives, the Council may also
wish to consider appointing and ad hoc subcommittee of the Council to discuss the research
effort with staff in preparation for returning the results to the full Council for direction.
Alternatively, or, in addition, the Council may wish to establish a climate protection advisory
body as the Petaluma Climate Action Campaign memo and draft resolution recommend.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS
Directing staff to further research the proposals in the Petaluma Climate Action Campaign
climate action resolution would result primarily in financial impacts in the form of the cost of
staff time. The results of further staff research regarding the proposed climate protection efforts
should assist in gauging cost and other impacts from the proposed efforts.
ATTACHMENTS
Attach 1 Petaluma Climate Action Campaign memo and proposed resolution.
0
Date: March 18, 2019
To: City Council and City Manager
From: Petaluma Climate Action Campaign
Subject: Climate Action Proposal
Fierce wildfires, toxic air, torrential rainfall. What we're seeing today is a preview.
Accondingtoa2oz8consensosneportFrornthevvorld'sleadingclirnatescientists,`even
more devastating consequences of global warming are on the way. But we can lessen
their impact if we act urgently and boldly to cut and draw down carbon.
It is immoral to delay—to leave this for another day, another generation, another city,
or another country. We must approach a crisis of this magnitude from every angle and
in every corner of the world—including Petaluma.
\&4ecan domuch more than just reduce greenhouse gas (GHG)emissions. Let's engage
our community—including those most marginalized—and envision the kind of city we
want to create: one that improves our lives such as by reducing traffic, managing waste,
improving air quality, and providing good'paying, high-quality jobs.
\&4eask that the City Council put the following onits 2ozg-2o2ogoal-setting agenda:
Make equitable climate action the City of Petaluma's number -one priority.
Adopt amesolution declaring aclimate emergency (Attachment A)-
Agrowing number oFcities—including Berkeley, Oakland, Richmond, Hayward,
Fremont, Santa Cruz, and Fairfax—have unanimously adopted aClimate
Emergency Resolution. These reframe climate change as the existential crisis it
has become and help toprioritize climate action.
0 Create a Petaluma Climate Cabinet.
VVerecommend that this entity include exofficio members and community
members appointed by the City Council with climate -related expertise. The Climate
Cabinet would be charged with assessing the climate concerns of all—including
those of climate experts and people most impacted by the climate crisis—and
recommending municipal and community responses.
° Establish accountability forPetaluma's climate goals'
Meet commitments made previously in the Regional Climate Protection
Authority's (RCP/Ys)Climate Action 2n2oand align with California's goal oF
reaching carbon neutral itV2assoon aspossible, but nolater than ao45.
References:
,. |P[[2vz8Special Report: Global Vvanninnvfi.50[
z. Carbon -neutral
ATTACHMENT A: RESOLUTION DECLARING A CLIMATE EMERGENCY
WHEREAS, all the countries that signed the 2015 Paris Agreement'vowed to keep
warming this century "well below 2°C above pre -industrial levels" and to `pursue efforts
to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.51C";
WHEREAS, the 2018 International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on
Global Warming of 1.50C estimates that humans have already caused about 1.o1C of
global warming above pre -industrial leve ls;2
WHEREAS, the 2018 IPCC Special Report estimates that to have a 66% chance of
limiting global warming to 1.5° C, we cannot exceed our remaining `carbon budget,"
which is equal to about 10 years of current -level greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions-'
WHEREAS, current global warming has contributed to the increasing frequency and
intensity of wildfires, floods, droughts, heat waves, and hurricanes;3
WHEREAS, Northern California wildfires in 2017 and 2018 destroyed at least 38,333
structures, killed 118, displaced thousands, and caused serious reductions in air quality-'
WHEREAS, the current pace of sea -level rise is already impacting California's coastline;
at 2-3 feet of sea -level rise, parts of Petaluma would be under water, and there is the
possibility of 6.5 feet or more of total sea -level rise by 2100;56
WHEREAS, climate change and the global economy's overshoot of ecological limits are
driving the sixth mass extinction of species,7
WHEREAS, the U.S. has contributed greatly to these climate and ecological crises and
bears an extraordinary responsibility to help solve them;
WHEREAS, restoring a safe and stable climate requires mobilization at all levels of
government and society on a scale, scope, and speed not seen since World War Two;
WHEREAS, marginalized communities worldwide—including people of color,
immigrants, indigenous communities, low-income people, those with disabilities, and
the unhoused—are already disproportionately affected by climate change and must
benefit first from a just transition to a sustainable and equitable economy;
WHEREAS, efforts to control climate change will have many other beneficial effects,
such as cleaner air and water; employment closer to home; cost savings for households
and the City, and the priceless creation of community;
WHEREAS, the City of Petaluma must do everything in its powerto swiftly convert to an
ecologically, socially, and economically sustainable economy;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,
The City of Petaluma declares that a climate emergency threatens the world;
BE|l[FURTHER RESOLVED, the City oFPetaluma will elevate climate issues tothe
highest priority in its goal -setting process; give precedence to climate mitigation and
adaptation when evaluating policies and purchases, planning projects, and allocating
resources; and will seek financial and regulatory aid tnsupport these efforts;
BE|l[FURTHER RESOLVED, �the City ofPetaluma commits toreducing citywide GHG
emissions to carbon neutrality as quickly as possible and no later than 2045—the goal
set by Governor Brown's Executive Order B'55-z8u ––andtoacceleratingclinnate
adaptation and resilience strategies;
BE|l[FURTHER RESOLVED, the City oFPetaluma will direct the Regional Climate
Protection Authority /RCPA>toimmediately make a comprehensiveassessment uf
current citywide GHG emissions—including those from consumption of goods and
services—and to track GHG emissions and publicly report annually on its progress
toward the goal ofzero net emissions;
BE|TFURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Petaluma will create aClimate Cabinet and
partner with local and regional agencies toact immediately—including nneeting
commitments made inthe RCP/YsClimate Action 2o2o»and fully integrating climate
actions in its 2o45General Plan;
BE|l[FURTHER RESOLVED, �the City oFPetaluma supports full public participation
toward zero net emissions—including input from and participation by disenfranchised
communities—and recognizes that Petaluma residents, community organizations,
labor, business, and schools are integral toleading this effort;
BE|l[FURTHER RESOLVED, the City ofPetaluma calls for emergency action atall
levels ofgovernment to restore e safer climate, safeguard against the results of climate
change, and support the just transition toasustainable economy with good'paying/
high-quality jobs.
Reference:
,. The zuzr,Paris Aoeeme,t
z. |P{CznzOSpecial Report: Global Vvanninnofi.r0[
3. NRD[:Are the Effects ofGlobal Warming Really that Bad?
4. Insurance Information Institute: Facts + Statistics: Wildfires
S. California Ocean Protection: Rising Seas in California: An Uodate on Sea -Level Rise Science
6. Digital Coast: hups:Vcoastooaa.qov/digha|omst/too|sb|chtn|
7. National Geographic: Will Humans Survive the Sixth Great Extinction?
O. Executive Order 8'+5a8TvAchieve Carbon Neutrality
g. R[PA:Climate Action 2vznand ecvond