IMAGE

Climate change is described as a significant and lasting change in the planet’s weather patterns over a long time period. The scientific community has reached consensus that climate change is occurring at a global scale because of the rising rate of emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) into the atmosphere. In 2006, the California legislature adopted AB 32, requiring that California cap GHG emissions state-wide at 1990 levels by 2020. A City’s contribution to GHG emissions (carbon footprint) is largely due to its use of energy derived from fossil fuel energy (electricity, natural gas, and petroleum).