R111751
City Council Meeting: May 28, 2019 Santa Monica, California
RESOLUTION NUMBER 11175 (CCS)
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA
MONICA ADOPTING THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN
WHEREAS, the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC) issued a report in
2018, finding that human activities are estimated to have caused approximately 1.0°C of global
warming above pre-industrial levels, with a likely range of 0.8°C to 1.2°C; and that global warming
is likely to reach 1.5°C between 2030 and 2052 if it continues to increase at the current rate; and
that climate-related risks for natural and human systems are higher for global warming of 1.5°C
than at present, but lower than at 2°C; and that pathways to limiting global warming to 1.5°C with
no or limited overshoot would require rapid and far-reaching transitions in energy, land, urban and
infrastructure (including transport and buildings), and industrial systems; and that these systems
transitions are unprecedented in terms of scale, but not necessarily in terms of speed, and imply
deep emissions reductions in all sectors, a wide portfolio of mitigation options and a significant
upscaling of investments in those options; and
WHEREAS, the federal government issued the Fourth National Climate Assessment,
finding that climate change creates new risks and exacerbates existing vulnerabilities in
communities across the United States, presenting growing challenges to human health and
safety, quality of life, and the rate of economic growth; and that without substantial and sustained
global mitigation and regional adaptation efforts, climate change is expected to cause growing
losses to American infrastructure and property and impede the rate of economic growth over this
century; and that communities, governments, and businesses are working to reduce risks and
costs associated with climate change by taking action to lower greenhouse gas emissions and
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implement adaptation strategies; and that while mitigation and adaptation efforts have expanded
substantially in the last four years, they do not yet approach the scale considered necessary to
avoid substantial damages to the economy, environment, and human health over the coming
decades; and
WHEREAS, the State of California issued California’s Fourth Climate Assessment, finding
that by 2100: average annual maximum daily temperature is projected to increase by 5.6-8.8°,
with heat waves in cities causing 2-3 times more heat-related deaths (by 2050), and hotter
temperatures increasing electrical demand; water supply from snowpack is projected to decline
by two-thirds potentially causing water shortages up to 16% (by 2050); the average area burned
by wildfires could increase by 77%; 31-67% of Southern California beaches may completely erode
and make hundreds of miles of coastal highways susceptible to flooding; and
WHEREAS, the City of Santa Monica prepared a Vulnerability Assessment to Climate
Change, finding that the number of extreme heat days (above 87°) could reach 22 days by 2100
(up from 4 days between 1961-1990); and that the projected trends in heavy precipitation and
drought years in California will continue to swing widely; that local air pollution will increase as a
result of high temperatures and increased local wildfires; that coastal storm flooding augmented
by sea level rise could impact public and private property along the beach; and that vulnerable
populations like seniors, isolated adults, pregnant women and young children, outdoor workers,
people for whom English is not their primary language, people of color, people with disabilities,
people that are on the lower end of the socio-economic spectrum and homeless individuals will
be impacted the most by climate change hazards, exacerbating their vulnerabilities, health and
safety; and
WHEREAS, in 2015, 196 State Parties at the 21st Conference of the Parties of the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (COP 21) in Paris, France,
adopted by consensus the Paris Climate Agreement, a historic international agreement dealing
with carbon emissions mitigation, adaptation, and finance; and
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WHEREAS, the Paris Climate Agreement will enter into force starting in the year 2020,
requiring all parties to put forward their best efforts through nationally determined contributions
(NDCs) and to strengthen these efforts in the years ahead; including requiring that all parties
report regularly on their emissions and on their implementation efforts; and
WHEREAS, the Paris Climate Agreement's long-term goal is to keep the increase in global
average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels; and to limit the increase to
1.5 °C, since this would substantially reduce the risks and effects of climate change; and as of
February 2019, 195 UNFCCC members have signed the agreement while 185 have become party
to it; and
WHEREAS, on June 1, 2017, President Trump announced his intention to withdraw the
United States from the agreement with November 4, 2020 as the earliest possible effective
withdrawal date by the United States; and
WHEREAS, in the wake of the federal government announcing its intention to withdraw
from the Paris Climate Agreement, many states, counties and cities, including the City of Santa
Monica, announced their commitment to uphold the Paris Climate Agreement through local
actions and carbon reductions; and
WHERAS, the City of Santa Monica desires to uphold the Paris Climate Agreement as a
subnational government through the Bonn-Fiji Commitment, the Global Covenant of Mayors, C40
Deadline 2020 Commitment, Chicago Climate Charter, and We Are Still In Declaration; and
WHEREAS, the City of Santa Monica has already achieved a 20% reduction of annual
communitywide emissions 20% below 1990 levels in 2015, at the conclusion of the 15x15 Climate
Action Plan; and
WHEREAS, on September 13, 2016, Council directed staff to complete a feasibility and
financial impact analysis for achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 or sooner, and return to Council
with recommendations; and
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WHEREAS, on January 26, 2019, Council established “Climate Change” as a Framework
Priority for the Fiscal Years 2019-2021 biennial budget. Council also established “Mobility and
Access” as Framework Priority, which is important as vehicle transportation contributes the
majority of carbon emissions in Santa Monica; and
WHEREAS, City staff and consultants convened a steering committee comprised of
community stakeholders and City staff to estimate the emissions reductions necessary to achieve
carbon neutrality before 2050 and prioritize strategies and actions for implementation; and
WHEREAS, City staff and consultants engaged the community through a variety of
presentations, Climate Action Santa Monica’s Climate Corps program, events such as the
Community Climate Action Summit, Climate Fest, including a virtual reality installation on sea
level rise (the Owl on the Pier); and
WHEREAS, The Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) is a guiding document that
provides overarching policy direction to achieve the interim goal of an 80% reduction in emissions
by 2030 and to increase Santa Monica's resilience to climate change hazards and impacts; and
the CAAP supports and enhances many existing plans and initiatives within the City; and
WHEREAS, the CAAP also suggests new plans and actions to supplement ongoing efforts
and create new initiatives;
WHEREAS, the CAAP is not an element of the City’s General Plan or a regulatory
document for the purposes of streamlining the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
process, and any policy or ordinance described in the CAAP must be developed and adopted
through a public review process; and
WHEREAS, the public draft of the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) and Initial
Study/Negative Declaration were released on February 25, 2019. The CAAP proposes an 80%
reduction below 1990 levels, accelerating the reduction of emissions and providing momentum to
achieving carbon neutrality shortly thereafter; and
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WHEREAS, just before and after the release of the public draft, staff has made
presentations to the Task Force on the Environment, Planning Commission, Urban Task Force
on the Environment, Commission for the Senior Community, Disabilities Commission; and
WHEREAS, the final draft for adoption was released on May 17, 2019; and
WHEREAS, the Task Force on the Environment held a public hearing on May 20, 2019,
considering the final draft for adoption, and recommended approval of the final draft for adoption;
and
WHEREAS, the City Council held a public hearing on May 28, 2019, to consider the Final
Draft for Adoption.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA DOES
HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOW S:
SECTION 1. The Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, attached hereto as Exhibit A and
incorporated herein by this reference, is hereby adopted and certified as the Climate Action and
Adaptation Plan for the City of Santa Monica.
SECTION 2. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution and thenceforth
and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
________________________
LANE DILG
City Attorney
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Adopted and approved this 28th day of May, 2019.
__________________________
G l e a m D a v i s , M a y o r
I, Denise Anderson-Warren, City Clerk of the City of Santa Monica, do hereby
certify that Resolution No. 11175 (CCS) was duly adopted at a meeting of the Santa
Monica City Council held on the 28th day of May, 2019, by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Himmelrich, Jara, Morena, Winterer
Mayor Pro Tem O’Day, Mayor Davis
NOES: None
ABSENT: Councilmember McKeown
A T T E S T :
_____________________________________
D e n i s e A n d e r s o n - W a r r e n , C i t y C l e r k
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