OUTCOME: Climate Action

Problem

Climate change caused by GHG emissions is already impacting life in the region and around the globe. Emissions reductions to date are inadequate to achieve the necessary goal of carbon neutrality.

Solution

Emissions Reduction - Develop and implement a regional plan for emissions reduction consistent with the state’s emission reduction targets and mandates.

Background and Context

California has committed to reducing GHG emissions by 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. Reducing GHG emissions is an important step in slowing climate change, with the added co-benefits of improving air quality and improving human health. It can be achieved by reducing energy consumption, replacing fossil fuels with cleaner energy sources, increasing options for energy efficiency, and reducing high-severity wildfires. Purchasing carbon offsets is an indirect way to reduce emissions – rather than reducing emissions directly, purchasing offsets compensates for energy use (and related emissions) by investing in projects that reduce emissions and/or sequester and store carbon. Forest carbon offsets provide funding for forest conservation projects in the region while providing co-benefits such as improved water quality, wildlife habitat, and long-term maintenance of working forests. Forest carbon offsets show how forestland can be managed to mitigate the effects of climate change, but they are no substitute for needed significant and comprehensive reductions in fossil fuel use. It is imperative that carbon offset practices maintain safeguards to protect or avoid risks (do no harm), while promoting benefits (do good). Safeguards should be defined to include goals and scope.

Recommendations

As part of its ongoing, comprehensive, adaptive plan for ecosystem and community health and resilience, NCRP will develop and support implementation of a regionally downscaled plan for the North Coast region to achieve emissions reduction, incorporating new information from the state’s AB32 Climate Change Scoping Plan 2022 Update. The regional plan will focus on strategies and activities that reduce and avoid emissions, reduce vehicle miles travelled, and support water and energy conservation measures. Datasets will be gathered and analyzed to help prioritize actions that will achieve emissions reduction or avoidance in the region. This includes forest management actions that can help mitigate the impacts from large wildfires and enhance carbon sequestration, alternatives to fossil fuels for energy production, electrification of the power grid, and other actions.

Actions

Support the development of Climate Action Plans at the county level, to include locally oriented strategies to reduce emissions from vehicle travel, electricity consumption, natural gas use, and other sources of GHGs.

Incorporate downscaled regional actions recommended in the AB32 Climate Change Scoping Plan 2022 Update into a regional emission reduction plan.

Support regional efforts to strengthen the climate adaptation component of planning efforts at multiple scales. This includes ensuring that all Solutions in this RPP consider and balance GHG emission reduction with opportunities for climate adaptation and that climate is considered in all Solutions and Actions.

Develop and refine climate related datasets for GHG emissions per sector and models of expected emissions reductions from proposed actions, including potential reduced carbon emissions from reducing wildfires.

Support land use policies, sustainable planning efforts, and land management decisions that reduce and avoid emissions, including compact/infill development using energy-efficient, green building techniques and all-electric mandates and limiting new development in the WUI.

  • Increase broadband service in remote/rural areas.
  • Extend regional trail networks for walking, biking, etc.
  • Expand EV charging infrastructure.
  • Support zoning regulations and other measures for VMT reduction.
  • Expand and improve public transportation within and between urban areas.
  • Support shared transportation resources such as bike, scooter, and other “last mile” options that can increase use of public transportation and reduce VMT for short trips within communities.
  • Solicit community input to identify transit solutions for remote areas.
  • Support water policies that increase water use efficiency to reduce energy needed to pump, transport, heat, and treat water.
  • Support other energy efficiency policies and measures.
  • Enhance residential development policies and standards that reduce emissions and rely on locally produced wood products.
  • Identify opportunities for improving emissions efficiency of natural resources project implementation through electrification of equipment and developing appropriate regional infrastructure.

  • Investigate new emerging advanced emission control devices for bioenergy facilities.
  • Analyze new methods for reducing smoke and methane releases when disposing of biomass in the open.

Evaluate secondary markets for carbon credit development, such as the AirCarbon Exchange.

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