What Makes San Diego's Climate Plan Different From All the Others

It's been a month of historic announcements in the effort to combat climate change. But a vote today in San Diego might set the standard for ambitious, enforceable action.

1 minute read

December 15, 2015, 7:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


"[The San Diego] city council votes Tuesday on a plan that would cut the city’s greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2035. It would also commit the city to using 100 percent clean energy by 2035," reports Andrew Keatts. The plan is expected to pass overwhelmingly, if not unanimously.

San Diego's ambitious climate plan is part of a movement spearheaded by the Sierra Club "to encourage 100 cities to commit to using 100 percent renewable energy in order to decrease their contribute to global climate change."

San Diego's plan differs from the goals of cities like San Jose, Las Vegas, Chicago, and Boston in one, very important way, according to Keats: "it's legally enforceable." The emissions reduction target of 50 percent by 2035 is a requirement, "and the stakes are high: the city could open itself to a lawsuit if it doesn’t deliver."

Monday, December 14, 2015 in The Urban Edge

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

High-rise apartment buildings in Waikiki, Hawaii with steep green mountains in background.

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss

The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

April 6, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 10, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Streetcar and bus stopped at station on Market Street in San Francisco with Ferry Building visible in background.

Waymo Gets Permission to Map SF’s Market Street

If allowed to operate on the traffic-restricted street, Waymo’s autonomous taxis would have a leg up over ride-hailing competitors — and counter the city’s efforts to grow bike and pedestrian on the thoroughfare.

2 hours ago - San Francisco Examiner

Parklet with wooden benches and flower boxes on street in Ireland.

Parklet Symposium Highlights the Success of Shared Spaces

Parklets got a boost during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the concept was translated to outdoor dining programs that offered restaurants a lifeline during the shutdown.

3 hours ago - Streetsblog San Francisco

Bronze statue of homeless man (Jesus) with head down and arm outstretched in front of St. Matthew Cathedral in Washington D.C.

Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave

The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is the only federal agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.

4 hours ago - The New York Times