Local & Regional Efforts

Many organizations in the Sacramento region are actively working to help us respond to climate change, focusing on both reducing greenhouse gas emissions as well as helping the region prepare for the current and future impacts of climate change. Below are some of the key efforts and organizations.

​Capital Region Climate Readiness Collaborative (CRC)

The Capital Region Climate Readiness Collaborative (CRC) is a coalition of local and regional organizations from the six-county Sacramento region, working together to build resilience against climate change. The CRC believes that regional coordination and partnership is critical to building stronger, sustainable, and more economically viable communities.

The CRC now has over 45 members from the public, private, and non-profit sectors, including the Sac Metro Air District, Sacramento County, the City of Sacramento, and SMUD. In addition, the CRC is a member of the statewide Alliance of Regional Collaboratives for Climate Adaptation (ARCCA) through which the Capital Region can coordinate and share information with adaptation professionals from the Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Diego, Central Coast, and the Sierra Nevada.

Since it was formed in 2013, the CRC has completed a needs assessment of local water agencies to understand how they are incorporating climate risks into long-term planning and supported the Sacramento Tree Foundation in its outreach to disadvantaged communities in South Sacramento, among other projects. The CRC distributes a monthly newsletter and hosts quarterly meetings for stakeholders to come together to discuss key regional climate impacts such as drought and public health. We are working to identify future projects and issues that the CRC can support.

NorCal Clean Cities and Communities

The NorCal Clean ​​Cities Coalition is a public-private partnership that aims to reduce petroleum use in the transportation industry. One of almost 100 local coalitions in the Department of Energy’s nationwide Clean Cities Program, NorCal Clean Cities and Communities encompasses fleets in Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado, Yolo, Solano, Sutter, and Butte counties. NorCal Clean Cities and Communities​ hosts regular events, programs, and workshops to help public and private fleets increase the adoption of alternative and renewable fuels, idle-reduction measures, fuel economy improvements, and emerging transportation technologies. ​

​Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG)

In 2015, the SACO​​G Board officially adopted the Sacramento Region Transportation Climate Adaptatio​n P​lan as part of its 2016 Metropolitan Transportation Plan / Sustainable Communities Strategy update, affirming the importance of climate adaptation in future planning. Developed by CivicSpark Fellows, this high-level action plan identifies key vulnerabilities to climate change in the region’s transportation infrastructure. In 2020, the Project-​Level Climate Adaptation Strategies for Transportation in the SACOG Region was published, providing guidance and recommendations for transportation practitioners to address climate change risk and advance the resiliency of the region's transportation system. SACOG is encouraging well-informed climate adaptation planning work through its Climate Adaptation Hub Site​​ which features peer-reviewed data illustrating how climate change is affecting the transportation system in the Sacramento region.

​Sacramento Tree Foundation

Trees are a critical part of community resilience, providing shade, stormwater filtration, air quality improvements, and urban heat island reduction. By sequestering carbon, trees also help to mitigate climate change. With over 40 years of experience in urban forestry, the Sacramento Tree Foundation is a community organization working to support a healthy tree canopy for Sacramento. Ongoing programs include the popular Shade Tr​ee Program in partnership with SMUD, which provides free shade trees to residents and businesses to help cool buildings and reduce air-conditioning use in summer. In addition, the Sacramento Tree Foundation is working on a special project funded by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to develop community-based tree planting projects in South Sacramento. This can help disadvantaged neighborhoods increase their urban street trees and enjoy the benefits for their health and community.

​Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD)

With a target of eliminating 100 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions from its electric generation by 2030, SMUD​ is committed to addressing climate change in its own operations and runs several programs to help its customers do the same. In 2021, SMUD published its 2030 Zero Carbon Plan​ as a flexible roadmap to achieve its decarbonization goals. SMUD‘s Greenergy program helps residential and business customers meet up to 100% of their electricity consumption with renewable energy, while its SolarShares program allows customers to participate in solar energy generation without installing a system on their rooftop. SMUD also provides rebates and loans for energy efficiency upgrades, appliances, cool roofs (which help to keep buildings cool, reducing the need for air conditioning), and electric vehicles.​

Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT)

In 2020, the SacRT​ Board of Directors approved a Zero-Emi​ssion Bus Rollout Plan​ to support the conversion of SacRT’s entire fleet to zero-emission buses by 2040. The transition to cleaner technology complies with California’s Innovative Clean Transit regulation and reduces combustion emissions. 

​City and County Climate Action Plans

Several cities in Sacramento have adopted Climate Action Plans (CAPs) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with many choosing to align with the statewide target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045.

Sac Metro Air District staff prepared a white p​aper, Climate Action Planning in the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, describing the multiple benefits to a local agency that adopts a qualified climate action plan. The white paper was presented to the Sac Metro Air District Board of Directors at the October 2017 meeting.