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12 - December 12, 2024 - Climate Action Plan Progress Report CITY COUNCIL INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM Meeting: December 12, 2024 To: Cupertino City Council From: Pamela Wu, City Manager, Ursula Syrova, Environmental Programs and Sustainability Manager Re: Climate Action Plan Progress Report Background The City adopted its first Climate Action Plan (CAP) in 2015, and then updated it to CAP 2.0 in 2022. Since 2015, staff have provided periodic updates to the City Council on its climate action progress. The most recent update is included as Attachment A. The attached update provides a summarized version of activities and impacts over time and is supplementary to information available on the city’s website at www.cupertino.org/climateaction. Sustainability Impact Engagement with the community is a pillar of climate action and is called out throughout CAP 2.0. Fiscal Impact No fiscal impact. _____________________________________ Prepared by: Ursula Syrova, Environmental Programs and Sustainability Manager and Victoria Morin, Sustainability Specialist Reviewed by: Chad Mosley, Public Works Director Approved for Submission by: Pamela Wu, City Manager Attachments: A – Climate Action Plan Progress Report Climate Action Plan Progress Report A glance at our progress towards carbon neutrality. 2022-2024 CITY OF CUPERTINO The Cupertino City Council adopted the City’s Action Plan 2.0 (CAP 2.0) in August 2022. The CAP 2.0 created a roadmap to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Cupertino. This report is an overview of Cupertino’s progress toward meeting its GHG reduction goals through programs and policies. It builds upon the City’s prior climate action efforts and was designed with four guiding principles: equity, innovation, urgency and flexibility, and resilience and adaptation. Emissions Reduction Goals The City of Cupertino’s goal is to reach 50% greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2040, using a 2018 baseline. The CAP 2.0 lists a set of actions to reach that goal, which exceed state requirements and further align with the Paris Agreement to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C. However, even as adopted, the actions laid out in the CAP 2.0 are not enough to achieve the goal based on GHG projections. Emissions Update The City is actively implementing the actions and measures detailed in the Climate Action Plan 2.0, but an update to the emissions data projects that the City is further from aRaining our goals. This increase is partially due to updated transportation- related emissions calculations. Other jurisdictions are seeing similar trends. The City must do even more than the actions detailed in the CAP 2.0 to help bridge the gap between projected reductions and the carbon neutrality goal. The chart below shows the projected emissions reduced through the CAP 2.0 and the remaining reduction we would need to achieve. 2 Cupertino 2022-2024 Climate Action Plan Progress Report Charting a Path to Net Zero CAP 2.0 SECTORS CAP 2.0 consists of 21 measures across five sectors that are supported by 140 actions. Building Energy: Making our buildings more energy efficient and transitioning away from natural gas. Transportation: Promoting EV adoption, public transit, and infrastructure for walking and biking. Greenspace & Water: Expanding our urban forest, conserving water, and fostering sequestration. Zero Waste: Diverting waste from landfills through recycling, composting, and other programs. Adaptation & Resilience: Preparing our community for climate impacts and promoting local resiliency. Climate Action Dashboard Cupertino launched the Climate Action Dashboard in 2024 to help residents: •Explore City-led climate and sustainability initiatives •Learn about how residents can reduce their personal carbon footprint •Stay updated about the City’s latest programs and events •Analyze emissions data and other climate-related metrics Visit the Dashboard at cupertino.climatenavhub.com or scan the QR code.SCAN ME 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 MT C O 2E P e r C a p i t a 2018 Baseline 2021 Update New State Laws Building Energy Vehicles & Transit Waste Reduction Trees & Water Emissions Remaining 5.91 6.91 -1.17 -1.16 -2.39 -0.22 -0.01 1.98 Planned Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions 0 5750 11500 17250 23000 2010 2018 2021 Wastewater -39% 0 4000 8000 12000 16000 2010 2018 2021 Solid Waste -42% 0 85000 170000 255000 340000 2010 2018 2021 Transportation +66% 0 25000 50000 75000 100000 2010 2018 2021 Stationary Energy: Non-Residential -56% Cupertino 2022-2024 Climate Action Plan Progress Report In 2024, Cupertino conducted its 2021 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory Report. This type of report monitors how the City’s greenhouse gas emissions are trending over time. The 2021 inventory used an updated methodology for calculating transportation-related emissions. The 2010 and 2018 emissions data were not adjusted using the updated method. The trend diagram below shows an increase in overall emissions, but the 2010 and 2018 transportations emissions would be greater if updated or “backcast" to match the current methodology. Preliminary calculations suggest the model changes could be responsible for more than half of the emissions increase. Breakdown of Emissions by Sector A graphical breakdown of the different sectors and their contribution to the community-wide inventory is provided below. 3 Understanding the City’s Emissions 2021 Community- Wide Emissions Transportation 75% Stationary Energy: Residential 10% Stationary Energy: Commercial & Industrial 10% Wastewater 3%Solid Waste 2% Change in Emissions Over Time The graphs below show the change in emissions over time in each sector, comparing the 2010, 2018, and 2021 GHG inventories. KEY FINDINGS Building Energy The City’s second largest source of GHG emissions remains use of natural gas by buildings. It decreased 2% between 2018 and 2021. Transportation Commercial gas-powered vehicles and passenger vehicles emiRed 38% and 34% of the City's total emissions respectively, totaling 72% together. Gasoline powered passenger VMT went from 381 million to 464 million, a 22% increase. Electric vehicle VMT increased 50% in 3 years, from 6 million to 9 million miles. Solid Waste Waste emissions make up only 2% of the total emissions in 2021. Emissions aRributed to landfilled waste decreased by nearly 50%, although there was 77% less waste aRributed to construction in 2021 compared to 2018. Wastewater Water treatment generated 3.2% of the total emissions, but emissions from the treatment process reduced by 24% in 3 years. 0 20000 40000 60000 80000 2010 2018 2021 Stationary Energy: Residential -42% Building Energy 4 Cupertino 2022-2024 Climate Action Plan Progress Report SPOTLIGHT ON UPCOMING PROJECTS 1. Virtual Reality Decarbonization Simulator Using grant funding from SVCE, the City is developing an interactive, virtual reality (VR) experience for residents to learn about how they can decarbonize their own homes. The VR demonstration will launch in April 2025 and will use immersive technology to raise public awareness of the importance of residential electrification. 2. Existing Building Electrification CAP 2.0 features measures focused on electrifying existing residential and commercial buildings. To facilitate building electrification, the City is designing a building energy benchmarking policy to introduce energy reporting requirements for larger commercial buildings. City staff engaged with local commercial building owners to explore using a tiered system that encourages natural gas appliance replacement at the end of equipment life, striking a careful balance between environmental goals and economic feasibility. Building Energy remained our second largest emissions source, with natural gas use in buildings contributing 17% of overall community- wide emissions. Key Accomplishments in 2022-2024 1.Approved new reach code for newly constructed buildings to continue encouraging all-electric construction. 2.Partnered with SVCE to create programs and rebates for reside nts to upgrade appliances in existing buildings. 3.Received $139,000 in grant funding to continue LED streetlight upgrades through the DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program. 4.Completed a municipal building energy assessment to identify top priority retrofiRing and energy efficiency projects. 5.Hosted a live induction cooktop showcase with professional Chef Martin Yan. HIGHLIGHTED METRICS 15,854,494 therms Community-wide natural gas consumption (2021) 86,586 MTCO2e Building-related emissions (2021) 100% Percentage of municipal facilities geRing renewable electricity from SVCE (2024) $84,500 Amount in rebates awarded to residents for electric appliance upgrades (2023) Transportation represents our largest emissions source at 73 percent of total, community-wide emissions. Depite the change in VMT methodology, the City made progress in its efforts to address these emissions by advancing electric vehicle adoption, supporting active transportation, and enhancing mobility options. Key Accomplishments in 2022-2024 1. Cupertino secured an $8.465 million grant from the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) to expand the Silicon Valley (SV) Hopper rideshare program into the City of Santa Clara and enhance access to Caltrain. 2. SV Hopper now operates with a 100 percent all-electric vehicle fleet. 3. Expanded public EV charging infrastructure with two off-grid solar-powered EV charging stations, purchased with SVCE grant funding. 4. Streamlined permit review process for installing new EV chargers. Transportation SUCCESS STORY SPOTLIGHT Streamlined Permit Review for New EV Charging Stations In 2022, the City completed a review of existing EV charging permiRing regulations and adopted ordinance 22-2244 and 22-2245 to streamline the permit review process. Since these ordinances were adopted, a total of 40 permits have been approved under the new process. This streamlining is in compliance with state laws AB 1236 and AB 670 and completed CAP 2.0 measure TR 3.4. AB 1236 requires cities to create expedited permiRing processes limited to health and safety reviews, and AB 970 added specific binding timelines based on project size and clarified parking requirements. The ordinances created a standardized checklist with electronic submission capabilities and established a clear 20-40 day timeline for permit approvals. The new process removes barriers and encourages new EV charging infrastructure, supporting electric vehicle adoption and reducing GHGs. Cupertino 2022-2024 Climate Action Plan Progress Report 5 HIGHLIGHTED METRICS 567,450,922 miles Community-wide vehicle miles traveled (2021) 16 Number of City-owned EV charging ports (2024) 5.15 miles Total length of separated bike lanes (2024) 30.29 MTCO2E Amount of emissions mitigated due to SV Hopper (Between October 2023 to September 2024) Greenspace & Water 6 Cupertino 2022-2024 Climate Action Plan Progress Report The City continues to demonstrate leadership in water conservation, achieving significant reductions in per capita water usage in recent years. While water-related emissions make up just 3% of the City’s community-wide inventory, conservation remains a critical priority for ensuring climate resilience. Additionally, the City maintains a healthy urban forest that provides natural carbon sequestration benefits to the community. Key Accomplishments in 2022-2024 1.Added 15 new community garden plots at Wilson Park, completing CAP 2.0 measure CS 2.2. 2.Achieved 20% reduction in per capita water usage from 2010 levels. 3.Supported water conservation rebate programs. 4.Piloted a Climate Victory Gardens initiative.* HIGHLIGHTED METRICS 98,964 sq c Amount of landscaping converted to be drought- tolerant (2023) 82 households Number of recipients of water conservation rebates (2023) 30% Percentage of urban tree canopy coverage (2024) 302 Number of trees given to the community for planting (2024) SUCCESS STORY SPOTLIGHT Green Stormwater Infrastructure with the Alan Row Development Project In 2024, a stormwater infrastructure project was completed at Alan Row, a redevelopment project approved by Cupertino City Council in January 2022. As part of the project's comprehensive street frontage improvements, bio-retention areas were installed within new park strips along Stevens Creek Boulevard. These green infrastructure features mimic natural hydrology by directing hardscape runoff into specialized filtration zones. Within these filtration zones, engineered landscape media naturally filters the stormwater before it flows into an underdrain system, which connects to the upgraded storm drain main installed along Stevens Creek Boulevard. This sustainable approach to stormwater management, integrated with new curb, guRer, and detached sidewalk improvements, demonstrates how urban infrastructure can be designed to beRer manage and treat roadway runoff while enhancing the streetscape. * This program was funded temporarily in the 2022-2024 period and has since been discontinued. The City has made progress toward zero waste goals through programs and policies that reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. While waste emissions only represent 2% of our community-wide GHG inventory, mainly from organic material decomposing in landfills, proper waste management remains crucial to meeting our climate goals. Cupertino continues to pursue its 75% waste diversion target and is currently focused on implementing state requirements for organic waste collection and edible food recovery. Key Accomplishments in 2022-2024 1.Implemented state law, SB 1383, ensuring residential and commercial organics diversion. 2.Supported creation of the Santa Clara County Food Recovery Program in collaboration with all jurisdictions in the County. 3.Adopted a Single-Use Foodware Ordinance. 4.Partnered with Recycletek to provide local CRV redemption. 5.Conducted new waste characterization study in 2024. Final results are pending, but there was a reduction in the amount of organic waste going to the landfill and an increase in the amount diverted to composting, an important ship in reducing methane production in landfills. Zero Waste Cupertino 2022-2024 Climate Action Plan Progress Report 7 HIGHLIGHTED METRICS 357,777 Containers recycled through Recycletek (Aug ’23 to Jun ’24) 2,633 Number of visits to Recycletek machines (Aug ’23 to Jun ’24) 95% Percentage of businesses compliant with SB 1383 (2024) 55 Number of businesses donating food (2024) SUCCESS STORY SPOTLIGHTS 1. Diverting Edible Food from the Landfill to Those in Need In 2022, Cupertino joined a countywide effort to launch the Santa Clara County Food Recovery Program, meeting SB 1383 requirements through a coordinated approach. From the program’s launch through the end of 2023, 55 Cupertino businesses donated 449,117 pounds of food to recovery organizations. 2. CRV Recycling Program with Recycletek In 2023, Cupertino partnered with Recycletek to launch an innovative CRV recycling program funded by a CalRecycle grant. The AI- powered EcoTrailer can process up to to 1,000 containers per minute. It operates at Creekside Park on Wednesdays and Mary Avenue on Saturdays. Residents can recycle on-site with staff assistance or use the bag-drop option for added flexibility. Adaptation & Resilience 8 Cupertino 2022-2024 Climate Action Plan Progress Report CLIMATE RISK ASSESSMENT RESULTS The City is taking decisive action to prepare our community for increasing climate impacts and build local resilience. Based on Cupertino’s first comprehensive climate vulnerability assessment, our community faces several climate-related risks, with poor air quality and extreme heat identified as our highest priority hazards. Through improved emergency preparedness and community education, we're working to protect our most vulnerable residents and strengthen our infrastructure against climate impacts. Key Accomplishments in 2022-2024 1.Launched the Cupertino Climate Challenge and Green Blocks programs.* 2.Completed a comprehensive climate vulnerability assessment in partnership with the County. 3.Partnered with Santa Clara County to develop the Climate Change Preparedness Tool. 4.Installed real-time air quality monitoring network.* 5.Cupertino adopted the Multi-Jursidicational Hazard Mitigation Plan that was heavily influenced by climate hazards. * These programs were funded temporarily in the 2022-2024 period and have since been discontinued. Cupertino's vulnerability assessment helps prioritize adaptation actions based on their associated risk level. POOR AIR QUALITY High SUCCESS STORY SPOTLIGHTS 1. Climate Change Preparedness Tool Cupertino contributed to the creation of the Climate Change Preparedness Tool which allows users to assess local vulnerability to climate hazards in the region. The interactive tool helps visualize how sea level rise, flooding, wildfire, and extreme heat could impact local communities and infrastructure, enabling customized risk analysis based on different climate projections. Visit the tool at siliconvalleytwopointzero.org or scan the first QR code on this page. 2. Cupertino Hazard Awareness Dashboard Cupertino launched a live, real-time dashboard that keeps residents up to date on various climate risks, including power outages, flooding, and other hazards that are already actively impacting the City today. Visit the dashboard at gis.cupertino.org/webmap/eoc_dashboard_public or scan the second QR code on this page. SCAN ME SCAN ME EXTREME HEAT High DROUGHT Medium WILDFIRES Medium FLOODING Medium The City of Cupertino has a number of ongoing and planned projects which will implement several measures in the CAP 2.0 and continue to improve sustainability within the community. Ongoing and Upcoming Projects Cupertino 2022-2024 Climate Action Plan Progress Report 9 BUILDING ENERGY The City is pursuing installation of photovoltaic panels on multiple City-owned buildings. These new solar panels would be installed by April 2026. The City is seeking grant funding to replace existing gas appliances with all-electric options in City-owned buildings. This would improve building air quality, reduce emissions, and demonstrate leadership in building decarbonization. TRANSPORTATION The City has proposed new charging infrastructure at the Sports Center to power the SV Hopper fleet. The City is transitioning our municipal fleet to electric in compliance with the Advanced Clean Fleet mandate. Fifty percent of vehicle purchases are zero-emissions beginning in 2024 and 100 percent of vehicle purchases are zero- emissions by 2027. A total of 10 new charging stations are expected to be installed in 2026 with 10 additional in the future. The City is in the process of developing a comprehensive analysis to identify a prioritized list of locations for new electric vehicle charging stations. This is expected to be completed in 2025 and will complete CAP measure TR 3.1. GREENSPACE & WATER The City is in the process of updating the approved tree species list for public and private property. This updated list will encourage protection of existing trees and consider native and drought tolerant species when making species recommendations. This will further our carbon sequestration, water conservation and bio-diversity climate goals. The City is beginning a recycled water feasibility study to explore bringing recycled water to the city from surrounding sources or producing recycled water locally. ZERO WASTE The City is exploring sending collected landfilled waste through a materials recovery facility to increase diversion before final disposal. This would complete CAP 2.0 measure W 1.2.