Community sets ambitious GHG emissions reduction target

Community representatives recommend that Sonoma County reduce greenhouse gas emissions 25% below 1990 levels by 2015

An original “White Paper” on local actions to address climate change is available.

Sonoma County U.S. firsts:

1. All nine cities and County committed to reducing GHG emissions.
2. All measured emissions from their internal municipal operations.
3. All set targets for reducing emissions from internal municipal operations.
4. All set targets for community wide emissions reduction.
5. All nine Sonoma County mayors signed on to the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. For information about this agreement, go to: www.seattle.gov/mayor/climate
6. All adopted Sonoma County’s target for reducing emissions — 25% below 1990 by 2015, the boldest of any U.S. community.

SANTA ROSA, California—On Saturday, May 21, 2005, the Climate Protection Campaign convened Sonoma County residents to set a target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions causing climate change. By the end of the day, 32 community members agreed that Sonoma County should reduce its emissions 25% below 1990 levels by 2015, the boldest emission reduction target set by any Bay Area community to date.
Local elected officials from the County and Sonoma’s nine cities selected the workshop participants who included business members, civic leaders, young people, and the elected officials themselves. The County of Sonoma, Sonoma’s nine cities, the Sonoma County Waste Management Agency, and the Sonoma County Water Agency sponsored the workshop, and Rick Phillips of Sebastopol-based Community Matters facilitated the workshop.
“This was an experiment to see if the community could agree on a target by the end of the day,” said Climate Protection Campaign executive director Ann Hancock. “We convened community representatives, presented them with the facts, facilitated their deliberation, and they did it! We are very encouraged by participants’ thoughtful engagement and by their ability to come to an agreement on such an important topic.”
Workshop participants were charged with agreeing upon a base year, a target year, and a percent reduction. 1990 was chosen as a base year because it is the same base year decided upon for the Kyoto Protocol, an international treaty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that went into effect on February 16, 2005. A target year of 2015 was favored because it provides Sonoma County a ten-year window to implement countywide strategies such as more efficient transportation, green building, and land use plans that lead to emission reductions.
“I was skeptical going in,” stated Steve Geney, President of North Bay Construction. “But we focused on the facts and how to fix them. Now my gears are turning. There are many things our industry can change to do our part in meeting the target. I think it can be done.”
“This whole notion that reducing our emissions will cost us is a myth,” noted Alan Strachan, a Santa Rosa developer and one of the workshop presenters. “A decrease in greenhouse gas gets us an increase in GDP both locally and nationally. Let’s quit exporting our wealth for fossil fuel when energy falls free from the sun.”
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the foremost scientific authority on the subject, current levels of greenhouse gases need to be reduced by 60 to 80% immediately in order to mitigate the greatest threats to our planet’s ecosystems, climate cycles, and human existence. These threats include rising sea levels, desertification, and more frequent severe weather events such as floods and drought.
The target recommended by the community representatives does not meet the dramatic reductions scientists call for, but the target would, if achieved, move the county much closer to where scientists say we need to be. (click for a pdf of the study—1MB) Studies by the Climate Protection Campaign of greenhouse gas produced by Sonoma County residents found that between 1990 and 2000 emissions increased by 28 percent—double the national average. The two key reasons for the increase were a rise in vehicle miles traveled of 43 percent, and in population of 18 percent.
“Scientific and technological solutions exist for meeting the target, “ asserted Hancock. To prove this, the Campaign sent participants a white paper written by local scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs to read in preparation for workshop. “We wanted to assure participants that they could focus on the critical challenge—generating public will—rather than on the technological aspects of climate protection. That analytical work comes after setting a target,” said Hancock.
“Our aim is for people in Sonoma County to achieve such resounding success that we inspire communities worldwide,” said Windsor Town Council member Debora Fudge.
Sonoma County has set two national precedents for climate protection. It is the first community where 100 percent of its nine cities and the County have pledged by resolution to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, and the first where all municipalities have completed their baseline emission inventories for their municipal operations. Sonoma County local governments follow Cities for Climate Protection, an international program in which more than 600 local governments worldwide participate.
The emission reduction target recommended by the community representatives will be presented to the County of Sonoma Board of Supervisors and Sonoma’s nine city councils to consider for adoption.
For more information, please call Ann Hancock, (707) 237-2696

Attendees, Community Target Setting Workshop, May 21, 2005

Cloverdale
Gail Pardini Plass · Mayor
Katherine Fry · Environmental supporter for over 20 years.
Cotati
Janet Orchard · Council member. Insurance underwriter specializing in long term care facilities for the elderly.
Suzanne Whipple · Executive Director, Cotati Chamber of Commerce. Founding member, Environmental Commission.
Katie Arnold · Junior, Analy High School.
Healdsburg
Jason Liles · Mayor.
John Essman · Co-owner of Sonoma Connection, a web design and marketing firm. Community volunteer and activist.
Kathleen Palmer · Co-owner of Sonoma Connection, a web design and marketing firm. Community volunteer and activist.
Petaluma
Steve Geney · President, North Bay Construction.
Ellen Bichler · Freelance writer and sustainability activist.
Denise Forman · Senior, Casa Grande High School.
Rohnert Park
Vicki Vidak Martinez · Council member.
Brad Baker · President and CEO, Codding Enterprises. Co-founder and Chair, American Biodiesel.
Michele Cadigan · Junior, Rancho Cotati High School.
Paul Hopkins · Junior, Rancho Cotati High School.
Santa Rosa
Paul Hernday · Consultant in fiber optic measurement. More than 30 years at HP and Agilent.
Joseph Dowd · Senior, Montgomery High School. Earth Club President.
Sebastopol
Sam Pierce · Council member. Energy efficiency engineer.
Larry Winkler · Owner, Sebastopol Ford Dealership.
Sheryl Shicora · Retired police officer.
Mara Canizzaro · Junior, Analy High School.
City of Sonoma
Stanley Cohen · Council member. Semi-retired accountant.
Sam Turner · Construction project manager. Community Development Board Member. Volunteer firefighter.
John Kelly · Attorney. Community Services and Environment Commissioner.
Jessica Guest · Sophomore, Sonoma Valley High School.
County of Sonoma
Mike Kerns · County Supervisor.
Ryan Lamberg · Vice President and Communications Director, Community Fuels.
Ken Wells · Executive Director, Sonoma County Waste Management Agency. President, Sonoma County Trails Council.
Windsor
Deb Fudge · Council member. Senior Environmental Specialists for PG&E.
Doug Lashar · Owner, Cafe Noto, an organic and green-oriented coffeehouse.
Lorena Fisher · Field Representative for Senator Chesbro.
Alex Vielma · Freshman, Windsor High School. President, 8th grade class.
Support Team
Rick Phillips · Founder and Executive Director, Community Matters, a non-profit organization based in Sonoma County whose mission is to ensure the health and safety of all children. Educator, trainer, facilitator, and presenter for groups nationwide.
Merrilyn Joyce · Graphic designer. Graton Community Services District Board member.
Ann Hancock · Executive Director, Climate Protection Campaign.
Alan Strachan · Santa Rosa Developer. Advisor, Climate Protection Campaign.
Dave Erickson · Analyst, Climate Protection Campaign.
Jessica Kellett · Cool Schools Coordinator, Climate Protection Campaign.
China Dusk · Retired psychotherapist. Small business owner. Volunteer, Climate Protection Campaign.
Thora Lares · Psychotherapist. Energy educator and activist. Volunteer, Climate Protection Campaign.