California Regional Action Update: Southern California

ICLEI USA
June 3, 2009

Adding to ICLEI’s presence in Southern California this quarter, recent ICLEI members include: Vista, Inglewood, Arroyo Grande, Duarte, Sierra Madre, Ventura County, Santa Ana, Grover Beach, Rancho Cucamonga, Palm Desert, and Rolling Hills, bringing the total to 38 members in the region.

The Los Angeles Regional Collaborative for Climate Action & Sustainability (LA Collaborative) is continuing the process of creating the Los Angeles Regional Climate Action Plan (LARCAP). To date, many ICLEI member cities in the LA region are in the process of completing or updating their individual greenhouse gas inventories and climate action plans. Cities and counties in the region have also been very busy amending and updating their General Plans with climate mitigation elements as well as laying out Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategies as part of the Energy and Conservation Block Grant program.

The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) recently released Conceptual Land Use Scenario data with emissions reduction estimates in preparation for its Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) per SB 375, and continues to lead the region on this front with help from other Metropolitan Planning Organizations such as the South Bay Cities Council of Governments, Western Riverside Council of Governments, and Westside Council of Governments.

ICLEI continues to assist regional efforts by leading the San Diego Regional Climate Protection Initiative. Through generous support from the San Diego Foundation, ICLEI will be working directly with local governments in the San Diego region to quantify greenhouse gas emissions and drive regional activity to reduce emissions and enhance resiliency to a changing climate. In addition to local governments in the region, ICLEI is very excited to be collaborating with SANDAG, SDG&E/Sempra, and the University of San Diego on this project.