Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].
Climate Change is also taking its toll on the United States.
Northern California fires are getting more intense every year for this reason, according to researchers such as Daniel Swain of the University of California, Los Angeles.
In the picture, a vineyard area in Healdsburg, Sonoma. Photo: Manuel Ortiz Escámez
The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors adopted the Government Operations Climate Action Plan (GOCAP), a comprehensive strategy that will seek to address the climate crisis and enable significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions with the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2035.
Officials said the action places San Mateo County as a regional climate leader with a solid plan for government operations among Bay Area counties.
"San Mateo County is taking bold steps to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035, 10 years ahead of the deadline set by the state."
Dave Pine, Supervisor.
The official stressed that the commitment to the ambitious target is also a call to action for cities and public agencies, businesses and local organizations to make a rapid transition to a low-carbon future and a green economy.
And, people in San Mateo County are already experiencing the impacts of climate change, including rising temperatures, wildfires, dangerous air quality, extreme storms, sea level rise and coastal erosion.
These impacts have most affected children, the elderly, people with medical conditions, communities of color, and residents with unstable economic or housing situations.
Given this, "it is important to protect county residents, especially those most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change," said County Board of Supervisors Chairman David Canepa.
Thus, GOCAP outlines a path for the county to reduce emissions from government operations by 80 percent by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality entirely by 2035.
The primary sources of greenhouse gas emissions generated by government operations are natural gas combustion in buildings and facilities - 44.5 percent - and gasoline use in employee commuter vehicles - 41.8 percent - in addition to the county's vehicle fleet - 12.7 percent, officials said.
Therefore, GOCAP will focus on reducing emissions in the energy, water, transportation and waste sectors.
The plan includes actions that support the transition to all-electric buildings powered by renewable energy, as well as establishing actions to reduce emissions from employee commuting, including programs to increase the use of electric vehicles, public transportation, telecommuting and bicycles.
The county also plans to phase out gas-powered vehicles from its fleet and replace them with zero-emission vehicles. And finally, any emissions remaining after these measures are taken will be captured and stored through carbon sequestration techniques, including the use of compost.
