January 25, Dear Ms. Burgard,

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1 Ms. Amy Burgard Group Project Coordinator Bren School of Environmental Science & Management 2400 Bren Hall UC Santa Barbara, CA Dear Ms. Burgard, DNV KEMA Energy & Sustainability is pleased to present this proposal to the University of California, Santa Barbara Bren School of Environmental Science & Management to engage Masters students in a Group Project. Our project A Best Practices Guide for Implementing Local Government Climate Action Plans provides an opportunity for students to understand strategies for greenhouse gas reductions and the challenges to implementing environmental policies and programs at a local or regional level. Two Bren MESM alumnae developed this proposal and are committed to serving as the client for this project. As alumnae, our team understands the constraints and opportunities for the Group Project. Furthermore, we possess a detailed knowledge of the publicly available datasets of local government climate action plans, as well as many relationships with specific local government staff and industry organizations involved with community-wide climate action planning activities of direct relevance to this project. Our consulting work with local governments in this field will enable the students to acquire the data they need to complete the project. Finally, we have worked closely with Professor Sarah Anderson and two current MESM students to refine this proposal. This collaboration helps position the project to provide Bren Masters students with training and experience in multidisciplinary environmental problem-solving, while expanding knowledge of effective implementation approaches for low-carbon, resilient cities. Sincerely, Andrea Traber Principal, Sustainable Use Americas KEMA Services, Inc. 155 Grand Avenue Suite 500 Oakland, CA USA T F

2 KEMA Services, Inc. 155 Grand Avenue Suite 500 Oakland, CA USA T F

3 Proposal for Bren Group Project A Best Practices Guide for Implementing Local Government Climate Action Plans Prepared by: DNV KEMA Energy & Sustainability

4 Copyright 2013, KEMA Services, Inc. This document, and the information contained herein, is the exclusive, confidential and proprietary property of KEMA Services, Inc. and is protected under the trade secret and copyright laws of the United States and other international laws, treaties and conventions. No part of this work may be disclosed to any third party or used, reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without first receiving the express written permission of KEMA Services, Inc. Except as otherwise noted, all trademarks appearing herein are proprietary to KEMA Services, Inc.

5 Table of Contents 1. Introduction Contact Information and Faculty Sponsor Our Proposal Problem Statement Project Objectives and Project Significance Background Information Stakeholders Possible Approaches and Data Deliverables Client Information Contact Information of Client Client Commitment Financial Needs Internship Opportunities... 3 A. Appendix A: References... A-1 i

6 1. Introduction DNV KEMA Energy & Sustainability (DNV KEMA) is pleased to submit this proposal to the Donald Bren School of Environmental Science & Management (the Bren School) for a Masters Student Group Project. The title of our proposed project is, A Best Practices Guide for Implementing Local Government Climate Action Plans. 1.1 Contact Information and Faculty Sponsor For any inquiries related to this proposal, please contact Ms. Amy Jewel or Ms. Betty Seto: Ms. Amy Jewel (MESM 07) DNV KEMA Energy & Sustainability 155 Grand Avenue, Suite 500 Oakland, CA (510) , x Amy.Jewel@dnvkema.com Ms. Betty Seto (MESM 06) DNV KEMA Energy & Sustainability 155 Grand Avenue, Suite 500 Oakland, CA (510) , x Betty.Seto@dnvkema.com Ms. Jewel and Ms. Seto will also serve as the clients for this project. Professor Sarah Anderson has agreed to sponsor this proposal. Two students, Emily DeMarco and Shannon Rivers, have reviewed and contributed to this proposal and are very interested in working on this project. 2. Our Proposal 2.1 Problem Statement Based on information compiled by the California Office of Planning and Research (OPR), 82 percent of cities and counties across California have completed or initiated climate action plans (CAPs) or are planning to do so. i A local government CAP typically includes a baseline inventory of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, a GHG reduction target for the community, and a set of policies and programs that are intended to reduce community emissions. ii However, to have an impact on climate change, cities must go beyond having a plan; they must implement the plan and monitor progress of their GHG emissions reduction programs. Jurisdictions vary widely in both approach and the degree to which they are monitoring and implementing the plans they have put forward. Now that many jurisdictions have completed CAPs, this project will examine different implementation approaches, challenges and best practices. Furthermore this project will develop recommendations at both the state and local level to ensure that CAPs can be implemented as an effective community-wide planning tool for long-term GHG reductions. 2.2 Project Objectives and Project Significance The objective of the project is to conduct research and then provide management recommendations for local jurisdictions in the development and implementation of community-wide CAPs. This project will include a meta-analysis of completed CAPs, including the status of their implementation, the key barriers for implementation and monitoring, and best practices from jurisdictions that have successfully begun the implementation and monitoring phase. The project will also provide recommendations at both the state and local levels to support the implementation of local government CAPs to meet California s Assembly Bill 32 (AB 32) targets. The results will be applicable both to jurisdictions with CAPs in place, and to those planning to develop CAPs. California has led the way in the U.S., with multiple state policies and programs, such as the Renewables Portfolio Standard, the low carbon fuel standard, and the cap-and-trade program, to drive emission reductions. With its oversight of land use, 1

7 transportation planning, and the built environment, local governments in California are key to driving GHG reductions at the local level. However, some cities do not fully implement their CAPs; a common example is a city that pledges to conduct additional outreach to residents and businesses regarding energy efficiency, but lacks the resources to do so, and/or does not track the effectiveness of various outreach methods. This project will make an important contribution to ensuring that local government climate action planning efforts lead to real change and the GHG reductions necessary to avoid potentially catastrophic climate change. 2.3 Background Information Several policy drivers encourage local jurisdictions to develop CAPs. One key driver is AB 32, in which the state adopted a GHG reduction target of 1990 levels by iii In addition, local jurisdictions are required to consider GHG emissions in all documents compliant with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), including General Plans and Specific Plans. Furthermore, if a local jurisdiction has a CAP, future development projects may tier their GHG analysis from the CAP in their CEQA documentation. iv Senate Bill 375 (SB 375) requires regional transportation agencies to design a regional Sustainable Communities Strategy to incorporate land use, transportation, and housing planning to reduce GHG emissions. v But these policies mostly address planning, rather than requiring a given outcome. Thus, the many jurisdictions that have a CAP have not necessarily implemented its recommendations in ways that achieve GHG reductions. 2.4 Stakeholders Numerous stakeholders could be interested in this project, including: The local jurisdictions in California, which include 58 counties, 482 incorporated municipalities, and thousands of special districts State agencies working with local governments on CAPs, such as the Air Resources Board (ARB), and OPR Regional agencies working with local governments on CAPs, such as the regional Council of Governments (COGs) vi Nonprofit advocacy groups, such as ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), the Local Government Commission, and the Institute for Local Government (ILG). 2.5 Possible Approaches and Data We propose the project include a review of existing CAPs. This State of the State CAPs review could cover the following: A brief description of why CAPs are developed and current funding sources A brief summary and comparison of several existing CAPs, focusing on GHG emissions as well as climate adaptation strategies A list of the most common strategies (policies, programs, and actions) included in CAPs A review of commitments included in CAPs for implementation and monitoring, including timing of implementation and approaches/methodologies for monitoring progress A review of how local government CAPs differ based on the size and location of the jurisdiction. The review would inform a more detailed research phase, which could include an Internet survey of a large number of local governments to identify how CAPs are or are not being implemented to date, and the different approaches, tools and strategies being used by local jurisdictions to monitor progress. The detailed research phase may also include followup, in-depth interviews with several cities vii, COGs, and other key stakeholders, such as OPR, ILG, ICLEI, or the ARB. This will enable the group project to identify current best practices in CAP implementation and monitoring, including tracking tools used (e.g.., automated reporting systems and dashboards) and management policies that are used, 2

8 such as key performance indicators. They will also identify current gaps in best practices. The project would then create a summary of best practices identified, recommendations, and a howto guide for local governments for CAP monitoring and implementation that builds upon existing resources. Current existing resources include guides from Clean-Air Cool Planet and the California Statewide Energy Efficiency Collaborative (SEEC). viii Other key resources may include progress reports from cities that have begun the process of implementation. ix The final phase could include a pilot testing phase of draft recommendations and the how-to guide with a local government, so that the final products can be used in a real-world situation prior to finalization. For example, the group project might test templates for staff reports and memoranda sent from city staff to the City Council or the Planning Commission that require explicit consideration of GHG emission impacts. Or they might pilot test a Capital Improvement Plan template that considers the impact of GHG emissions for all major municipal capital expenditures. 2.6 Deliverables State of the State CAPs: A summary of climate action planning in California, key components and commitments to implementation and monitoring. Draft and Final Best Practices Guide for CAP Implementation and Monitoring: Final version to include changes after the guide or portions of the guide is pilot tested. Project Brief and Thesis Paper 3. Client Information DNV KEMA will serve as the client throughout this project. Two key team members (Amy Jewel and Betty Seto) are Bren MESM alumnae, and the company has hired other Bren alumnae in recent years. Thus, our team is well-versed in the requirements and typical process of a Bren Group Project. In addition, Ms. Jewel and Ms. Seto work in DNV KEMA s Sustainable Buildings and Communities (SBC) division. x SBC has developed a substantial consulting practice around local government sustainability and climate action plans, as well as deep expertise in the design and operation of efficient, healthy buildings. DNV KEMA also provides energy management and climate strategy consulting to more than 500 local governments, corporations and utility clients worldwide. 3.1 Contact Information of Client Contact information is provided in section Client Commitment Of relevance to this project, DNV KEMA has developed CAPs or energy action plans for over 25 jurisdictions across California, and will be able to connect the students conducting this group project with local government staff and officials and other stakeholders mentioned in this proposal. We understand that all key deliverables created by the students will be placed in the public realm. We may provide some confidential information to the students that should not be placed in the public realm; when this project is selected, we will be pleased to negotiate a Confidentiality Agreement that will protect any confidential information we would release to the students. 3.3 Financial Needs Our team does not anticipate additional expenses beyond the $1,300 project budget received from the Bren School. We assume the survey described in Section 2.5 could be completed using a free online tool, or might be hosted on another organization s website. We also assume that students will conduct in-depth interviews by conference call or possibly by video conference. Some interviews might also be scheduled during a statewide conference, which one or two of the students could attend. 3.4 Internship Opportunities DNV KEMA commits to hiring one student for a paid summer internship in the summer of We expect that the student may work on the Group Project work for 10-20% of his or her time, and will spend the remaining time working on other assignments and tasks. 3

9 A. Appendix A: References i California Office of Planning and Research. California Jurisdictions Addressing Climate Change. Website accessed January 9, 2013: ii These plans usually include emission reduction strategies related to land use, transportation, energy use and renewable energy, solid waste generation, and water conservation. The following websites include examples of local jurisdiction s climate action plans: Environmental Protection Agency. State and Local Climate and Energy Program. Website accessed January 9, 2013: Institute for Local Government. Climate Action Plans Website. Website accessed January 9, 2013: In addition, Most California jurisdictions embarking on the process have been able to complete and officially adopt a local CAP, in part due to grant resources that have been available. Planning efforts have been funded by numerous sources, including federal grants under the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program; state grants under Proposition 84 (which is administered by the California Strategic Growth Council), and the use of utility administered ratepayer public goods funds, which are typically available for greenhouse gas inventories and for the energy portion of a climate action plan. iii California Air Resources Board. AB 32 Website. Website accessed January 9, 2013: iv For a summary of the relevant CEQA Guidelines, see the following website from the State of California. Website accessed January 9, 2013: v California Air Resources Board. Sustainable Communities Website. Website accessed January 9, 2013: vi One COG currently working in this area is the City/County Association of Governments (C/CAG) of San Mateo County. C/CAG is encouraging every local government in San Mateo County to complete a CAP, and has developed tailored tools for local governments to use, including a CAP Template, a GHG forecasting and reduction target tool, a cost/benefit analysis tool for emission reduction measures, and use of the Hara software-as-a-service for GHG inventory tracking. DNV KEMA was the consultant that developed most of these tools. The full set of tools is known as the Regionally Integrated Climate Action Planning Suite (RICAPS) and is available from this website: vii DNV KEMA has relationships with several cities that have begun implementing their CAPs. Examples include the Cities of San Carlos, Chula Vista, and Cupertino, all located in California. viii Three examples of existing resources are provided below: Clean Air Cool Planet. Community Climate Solutions. Website accessed January 9, 2013: A-1

10 Statewide Energy Efficiency Collaborative. Measuring and Reporting Progress in Reducing GHG Emissions Guide. Website accessed January 9, 2013: Statewide Energy Efficiency Collaborative. Climate Action Progress Report Template. Website accessed January 9, 2013: ix Example progress reports are listed below: City of Berkeley. Energy and Sustainable Development. Climate Action Plan Progress. Website accessed January 9, 2013: City of Chula Vista. CAP Implementation Report. Website accessed January 9, 2013: City of Portland, Oregon. One Year CAP Progress Report. Website accessed January 9, 2013: City of Boulder, Colorado. Community Guide to Boulder s CAP 2010/2011 Progress Report. Website accessed January 9, 2013: x DNV KEMA Sustainable Buildings and Communities. Website accessed January 9, 2013: A-2

Planning for Future GHG Inventory and Emission Reduction Tracking

Planning for Future GHG Inventory and Emission Reduction Tracking Betty Seto, DNV GL April 29, 2014 1 SAFER, SMARTER, GREENER Introduction Bay Area Air Quality Management District requires updated community