September 1, 2023
San Rafael City Council
1400 Fifth Avenue
San Rafael, CA 94901
RE: GHG Emissions and Climate Priorities (item 6.a)
Honorable Mayor and Councilmembers,
Sustainable San Rafael is pleased to see that the most recent estimates of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions show that San Rafael is half way to the City's goal of cutting emissions in half by 2030, and continues on a trajectory to meet that goal, and the 2045 goal of net zero emissions, if the yearly rate of reductions since 2005 can be sustained.
Sustaining the necessary rate of reductions will not be easy, and we appreciate that the City's proposed two-year Climate Action Priorities are focused on redoubling efforts to reduce the largest and most intractable remaining sources of climate pollution. First and foremost, these include:
• Gas cars and trucks, accounting for 66% of climate
pollution. Speeding the adoption of electric vehicles is essential to reach the City's climate goals and help
people prepare for the State's 2035 ban on gas cars.
• Gas furnaces, water heaters and other appliances,
accounting for 25% of fossil fuel use. Electrifying
existing buildings with heat-pump replacement
appliances will significantly cut GHG, and help people
prepare for the Bay Area Air Quality Management
District bans on gas water heaters and furnaces later
this decade and the State's 2030 ban.
In addition to these key climate priorities, we welcome the inclusion of others with benefits throughout San Rafael:
• Green cart use for composting organics, which
addresses 3% of emissions, per SB 1383.
• Equitable Low Carbon Economy programs to grow
local businesses serving the clean energy transition.
• Cross-departmental coordination to help integrate
climate action into all local government decisions, as
called for in the City's Climate Emergency Resolution.
• Climate Financing District as a possible source of
funds, in coordination with the County and MarinCAN.
• Canal sea level rise and citywide resilience plan to
prepare for climate impacts that are already baked in.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
William Carney, President
Linda Jackson, Vice President
Stuart Siegel, Secretary
Greg Brockbank
Kay Karchevski
Kiki La Porta
Annika Osborn
Howard Schwartz
Miles Smith
415.302.0110
As these well-formed two-year priorities are implemented, we also urge the City to consider two additional action strategies in support of its 2030 and 2045 climate goals:
• MCE 100% renewable electricity systemwide,
which would greatly reduce San Rafael's remaining
6% of GHG emissions attributable to electricity.
• Carbon sequestration in the city's urban forest
could be greatly increased with implementation of the
tree programs in General Plan 2040 and Climate
Change Action Plan 2030 (CCAP). Trees are a primary
way in which San Rafael can grow the sequestration
needed to 'net out' the 15% of GHG emissions
anticipated to remain in 2045. But we need to start
soon: as the California Urban Forests Council advises,
"It takes 40 years to plant a tree."
San Rafael's 2030 and 2045 climate goals are not only City goals. They align with countywide CAP and MarinCAN targets, as well as regional, state, national, and global goals. Most importantly, the scientific consensus is that we must cut GHG emissions in half this decade and to zero net emissions by midcentury to rebalance the climate and begin to slow the increasingly deadly impacts of uncontrolled climate change.
Thank you for your leadership in helping us to do our part in our community.
Sincerely,
William Carney,
President