Can Marin Achieve Its Climate Action Goal By 2030?
SUMMARY: As the planet becomes increasingly hotter, sea levels rise, and wildfires and other climate-related disasters proliferate, the State of California has set aggressive goals to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030. Every city, town, and the County of Marin have passed climate action plans consistent with these goals. In this report, the Marin County Civil Grand Jury assesses Marin’s countywide efforts to reduce GHG emissions and the challenges Marin County faces as we try to achieve collective success in this endeavor. Marin has made important strides to reduce GHG emissions in some sectors. However, Marin is not on track to meet the 2030 goal. Why? Largely because residents of Marin need to change their behavior. To reach the goal, we must significantly reduce burning fossil fuels in vehicles, homes, and buildings. While the efforts to combat climate change by the municipalities have been thoughtful and earnest, the Grand Jury recommends the County take a more focused and vigorous approach and change the governance structure of the current informal, multi-entity partnership to a more structured and better-resourced single entity or department charged with making and tracking progress. This entity should be accountable to the Marin County Board of Supervisors and be assigned to coordinate all of Marin’s efforts. Doing so provides a better chance of reaching the goal enacted by California and each Marin municipality.
The full report, which contains two findings and three recommendations, can be accessed on the Marin County Civil Grand Jury website at: