STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Quality of Life
AGENDA DATE: December 9, 2020
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S): All
DEPARTMENT: Office of Environmental Quality & Sustainability
EXECUTIVE: M. Elizabeth Cedillo-Pereira
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SUBJECT
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A resolution authorizing City staff to engage with the City-Business Climate Alliance, in accordance with the Mayor’s Letter of Intent dated June 30, 2020 and with the Dallas business community, to further the city’s Comprehensive Environmental & Climate Action Plan (CECAP) goals; to coordinate applicable initiatives necessary to implement the CBCA actions and goals consistent with the CECAP; and to provide regular reporting on CBCA activities supporting CECAP implementation back to the Environment and Sustainability City Council Committee - Financing: No cost consideration to the City
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BACKGROUND
The City of Dallas is committed to meeting the international emission reduction targets set by the Paris Agreement in 2016 and the goal to keep warming globally at or below 1.5 degrees Celsius. In 2017, Mayor Michael S. Rawlings signed the Mayor’s National Climate Agreement in support of the Paris Agreement. The City is committed to protecting the community from the impacts of climate change and towards implementing measures to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The Dallas City Council adopted the Comprehensive Environmental & Climate Action Plan in May, 2020 as a comprehensive roadmap that outlines the specific activities that the City plans to undertake to improve quality of life for all residents, to reduce GHG emissions, to prepare communities for the impacts of climate change, and to create a healthier and more prosperous community. The plan proposes 97 actions across eight sectors, and is designed to be revenue neutral, using existing budgets, partnerships and funding mechanisms to support implementation. The suit of action in the plan have been carefully selected to start Dallas on its path to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
Recognizing that cities like Dallas are developing bold, long-term strategies to address climate change, and that the task is such that they cannot act alone and require considerable private sector support in order to achieve their climate goals, the C40 Cities, Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), and World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) organization have together formed the City-Business Climate Alliance (CBCA) as a joint initiative aimed at accelerating climate action through city-business collaboration. Mayor Eric Johnson signed a Letter of Intent to partner with the CBCA on June 30, 2020.
The CBCA has been designed as a global network of cities and businesses to create systemic change through joint climate action by working with local cohorts of cities, and by connecting new and existing local partnerships to a network providing peer-to-peer support and opportunities to collaborate with climate-engaged global businesses for joint advocacy and scaled-up action.
The City of Dallas has been selected as one of eight initial cohort cities by the CBCA because of actions that advance the CECAP with targets and commitments, a commitment to working with the local business community and private stakeholders, the level of resources allocated to the initiative, existing business engagement initiatives, and an interest in sharing knowledge and peer-to-peer exchange. The cohort involves a three year commitment towards working with internal City- and external Stakeholders towards implementing actions within the CECAP.
PRIOR ACTION/REVIEW (COUNCIL, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS)
On August 8, 2018, City Council adopted the Resilient Dallas Plan that outlines actions towards addressing equity, resilience economic mobility healthy communities and environmental sustainability by Resolution No. 18-1026.
On September 18, 2018, City Council authorized the Office of Environmental Quality & Sustainability to develop a Comprehensive Environmental and Climate Action Plan by Resolution No. 18-1337.
On January 23, 2019, City Council adopted a resolution calling for federal action on climate change and continued local efforts to develop a comprehensive environmental and climate plan with goals that will ensure that the City of Dallas is addressing the environment and climate change in a manner that is effective and equitable through Resolution No. 19-0223, and using funding appropriated under Resolution No. 14-0564, also known as Chapter 9C, Carryout Bags, in the Dallas City Code.
On April 10, 2019, City Council adopted a resolution committing the City of Dallas to clean and efficient energy use through the use of 100% renewable energy for municipal operations, evaluation of feasibility of implementing on- and off-site renewable energy projects at City and other properties, establishing a city-wide energy management system to benchmark municipal energy efficiency, and continue to explore options to expand the renewable energy use beyond municipal operations in the Dallas community through Resolution No. 19-0339.
On May 27, 2020, City Council adopted the Comprehensive Environmental and Climate Action Plan by Resolution No. 20-0688.
The Environment and Sustainability Committee was briefed regarding this matter on August 3, 2020.
FISCAL INFORMATION
No cost consideration to the City. Funds for the Comprehensive Environmental & Climate Action Plan have been appropriated in the Office of Environmental Quality & Sustainability’s current fiscal year budget. Future year appropriations for other environmental initiatives such as the CBCA will be established through the annual budget development process, subject to the City Council approval.