Albany's First Climate Action Plan

The City’s first Climate Action Plan (CAP), adopted in 2010, outlined a course of action for the City and the Albany community to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 25% by 2020 to combat global climate change. The CAP focused on reducing emissions in six sectors: building energy efficiency, transportation and land use, waste reduction, green infrastructure, water conservation, and food and agriculture.

The City conducted a baseline greenhouse gas emissions inventory, and found that, in 2004, the City of Albany emitted approximately 83,429 tons of greenhouse gas emissions from the residential, commercial/industrial, transportation, waste, and water sectors.

The 2004 greenhouse gas inventory provided important information on Albany’s emissions, and allowed for tailored emissions reduction strategies in CAP 1.0.

Emissions Sectors and CAP Strategies

Building energy strategies included municipal upgrades, energy efficiency partnerships and rebates, and opting into a Community Choice Aggregate (see EBCE). 

Transportation strategies included implementation of the Active Transportation Plan, the Safe Routes to School program, and land use policy changes. 

Waste and water strategies included opting into Alameda County's mandatory recycling ordinance, installing weather-based systems in municipal landscapes, and expanding the reusable bag ordinance. 

Of the 86 measures included in the CAP, 76 were completed, in progress, or ongoing as of March 2018. The remaining CAP measures were deemed no longer applicable for a variety of reasons, such as duplication with state or regional measures, or cost-effectiveness.

The City of Albany is prepared to continue reducing greenhouse emissions in the City, to reach the goals outlined in the General Plan: 60% reductions by 2035, and net zero emissions by 2050.  The City has already begun work on an update to the Climate Action Plan, CAP 2.0!