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Vision

Through the Albany City Council’s Strategic Mission Statement, Albany is committed to providing a healthy, safe, and accessible city, and strives to lift every voice in our community. Part of the effort of providing a healthy, safe and accessible city includes ensuring long-term sustainability and resilience from climate change and its effects. As a result, in 2017, and also in an updated version in 2023, the City Council included advancing climate action and adaptation in its Strategic Plan.

2019 Climate Action and Adaptation Plan 

The Climate Action and Adaptation Plan can be accessed here. The Albany City Council unanimously adopted the 2019 Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) at their December 2 meeting.

Climate Action and Adaptation Key Areas

The following key areas illustrate measures Albany is pursuing to implement climate action and adaptation goals. Implementation also includes the additional resources required to achieve these goals, which regularly include city staff as well as outside consultants. The City is able to utilize the equivalent of approximately 4-6 full time employees (FTE) working across several departments to help achieve climate action and adaptation goals.

Area: Active, Shared, and Electric Transportation
Area: Electrify New & Existing Buildings
Area: Facilitate a Carbon-Free Economy
Area: Accelerate Resilience

Background

In June 2006, the City of Albany committed to becoming a member of ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability and participating in the Alameda County Climate Protection Project (ACCPP). As part of the project, the City conducted a baseline Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory, set a community-wide emissions reduction target, and developed its first Climate Action Plan (CAP). In 2017, City Council adopted Resolution No. 2017-48, supporting the Paris Climate Agreement and joining the Climate Mayors organization. The City’s General Plan includes ambitious emissions reductions goals of 60% by 2035, and net zero emissions by 2050, and on December 2, 2019 the City Council agreed by consensus to change greenhouse gas reductions targets to 70% by 2035 and net zero emissions by 2045.

GHG Reduction Goals for the Albany Community

CAP 1.0: 25% Reductions Goal

Albany’s first Climate Action Plan (CAP 1.0), comprised of policies and measures to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat global climate change, was adopted by City Council in 2010. The CAP committed Albany to 25% greenhouse gas reductions by 2020, and focused emissions reductions strategies on building energy efficiency, transportation and land use, waste reduction, green infrastructure, water conservation, and food and agriculture.

Learn more about the City's first Climate Action Plan (CAP). 

CAP 2.0: Carbon Neutrality 

On December 2, 2019 the City Council unanimously adopted the City of Albany Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP). The CAAP will guide the City towards its emissions reduction goals: 70% GHG reductions by 2035, and net zero emissions by 2045.

Learn more about the City's 2019 Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. 

CAAP Progress & Key Performance Indicators

The CAAP includes a variety of goals and key performance indicators (KPIs) to help the City track progress. Staff conducts a data analysis process each year to track KPI performance and report on progress towards the CAAP goals. Find the latest KPI Report here.

The most recent KPI report shows that the City is on track to meet its GHG emissions reductions goal, as seen in the chart below.

CAAP Goals vs. Performance_2

Highlights:

  • Heat pump HVAC installations have been soaring since 2020 and last year made up about 60% of permitted HVAC systems!
  • The number of vehicles per person has been dropping steadily since 2017 and is now lower than one car for every 2 people.
  • Last year, electric vehicles accounted for nearly a third of all new vehicles purchased in Albany.

The two most important sectors for reducing emissions remain transportation (51% of Citywide emissions) and natural gas in buildings (40% of emissions). Natural gas emissions have been decreasing by about 2.5% per year, however preliminary data shows that usage may have increased slightly in 2023. Vehicle usage (measured in miles traveled per person per day) had been decreasing for several years but increased slightly in 2022. This is one of the most significant emissions factors and needs to decrease significantly to meet our goals.

2022 Emissions by Source

More detailed information on the most recent CAAP KPI report can be found at the following links:

What can you do to support Climate Action in Albany? 

Carbon-Free Albany Long Logo PNG

Join the Carbon-Free Albany Challenge and take actions to reduce your own carbon footprint. 

Carbon-Free Albany is an interactive one-stop-shop where residents can obtain information and resources to help them reduce their carbon emissions, track their progress, and see what their neighbors and other community members are doing to go carbon-free.

With Carbon-Free Albany, residents can take meaningful action to reduce their own carbon footprints, bring the City of Albany closer to its carbon emissions reduction targets, and help staff achieve measures outlined in the updated Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. Together, we can ensure that the City of Albany is carbon-free by 2050. 

Sign up today at carbonfreealbany.org. 

If you have any questions about Carbon-Free Albany, or the City's Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAP 2.0), please contact Elizabeth Carrade at ecarrade@albanyca.org.