Los Angeles climate plan: Mayor Bass unveils new strategy

Mayor Karen Bass released a Climate Action Plan that calls for doubling local solar power by 2030 and sets targets on emissions, water use and heat resilience.

Mayor Karen Bass released a new Climate Action Plan setting goals for Los Angeles to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to a warmer future. The plan calls for doubling local solar power by 2030 and reducing the use of fossil fuels in buildings and city buses. It also sets targets for emissions at the Port of Los Angeles and L.A. International Airport, for reduced water use, and for expanding parks and green space to address extreme heat. The strategy builds on the 2019 L.A. "Green New Deal" and lays out 14 objectives with more than 50 targets and actions. Key points: - Mayor Bass released the Climate Action Plan on Thursday, including a goal to double local solar power by 2030. - The plan aims to reduce fossil fuel use in buildings and city buses and to cut greenhouse gas emissions at the Port of Los Angeles and LAX. - City officials doubled the capacity of a Van Nuys water recycling project that is planned to produce 45 million gallons of drinking water a day. - The strategy contains 14 objectives and more than 50 targets, but it is not legally binding; a separate Climate Action and Adaptation Plan is being prepared to align with state requirements. Summary: The Climate Action Plan sets measurable targets for clean energy, emissions reductions and urban cooling, and it enlarges an existing water recycling project. Mayor Bass is scheduled to speak about the plan at the Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant, and City Administrative Officer Matthew Szabo is working on a separate Climate Action and Adaptation Plan to align with state requirements.