City of Richmond, California Climate Action Plan and Climate Adaptation Study
The Richmond Climate Action Plan (CAP) describes how the City of Richmond, California will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for climate change impacts on its public health, infrastructure, ecosystems, and public spaces. The CAP also features health equity and climate justice as important aspects of its framework.
The primary climate change vulnerabilities for Richmond are discussed in Chapter 2 - along with a review of the economic opportunities associated with reducing emissions and increasing community resilience. The climate vulnerabilities projected for the area were identified in a former Adaptation Study conducted for the city (which is available in Appendix F).
Community engagement is central to the plan citing that, in terms of meeting adaptation goals, “(a)n engaged community will be better prepared to tackle local climate action goals in energy efficiency, waste reduction, water conservation, sustainable transportation, and access to community gardens and healthy food.”
The CAP has eight central Objectives which are presented with distinct Strategies for implementation. Each strategy is given with a Performance Goal, Timeframe, and Performance Metrics. The primary Objectives are focused on:
Energy Efficiency of Buildings and Facilities
Renewable Energy Generation
Sustainable Transportation and Land Use
Zero Waste
Water Conservation
Green Infrastructure, Urban Forestry and Agriculture
Green Business and Industry
Resiliency to Climate Change
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The City of Richmond plans to prioritize the health and well-being of its most vulnerable populations (elderly, low-income, and health-compromised residents) who are projected to face significant risk from extreme heat events by 2100. |
Strategy RC6 of the CAP is to: “Support Programs and Adaptation Responses that Protect Public Health and Promote Health Equity.” As part of the effort to fulfill this strategy, Richmond plans to better understand the vulnerabilities of these specific populations to climate change, and to target programs, capacity building, and resources in those areas in culturally- and linguistically-appropriate ways.
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Green Infrastructure strategies include supporting urban tree planting programs, and incorporating green infrastructure into new and existing development.
Strategies for Resiliency to Climate Change include to:
- Improve community preparedness for climate emergencies
- Increase resilience of local housing
- Increase resilience of critical infrastructure
- Develop a long-term shoreline development vision and protection plan
- Support programs and adaptation responses that protect public health and promote health equity
The final chapter of this comprehensive plan - “Implementation and Monitoring” - describes who is responsible for implementing the CAP strategies; how funding opportunities will be used to implement the strategies; and which metrics will be used for monitoring. (The funding source associated with each of the Resilience strategies is stated as simply “Grants.”)
Publication Date: October 26, 2016
Related Organizations:
- City of Richmond, California
Sectors:
Resource Category:
Resource Types:
- Adaptation plan
States Affected:
