I am writing on behalf of Napa Climate NOW! to commend the inclusion of policies addressing ‘Climate Change and Air Quality’ in the 2040 General Plan Policy Document.

We also want to recognize the city’s participation in the Regional Climate Action Plan being developed under the auspices of the Countywide Climate Action Committee.

When that plan (or an alternative) is adopted, the city will want to prioritize the recommended emissions mitigation measures. There is a new tool to help with this—Total Climate Accounting—which measures all climate forcers and calculates the amount of heat reduction occurring over time due to a particular measure.

The conventional climate accounting (using GWP 100 values) either undervalues or omits short-lived climate “super pollutants” and other key climate drivers like the reflectivity of surfaces. This has skewed results and slowed vital progress.

Napa Climate NOW! has given presentations on Total Climate Accounting to several members of the Climate Action Committee and would be happy to do so for the City Council when you are interested. We want to make sure our decision-makers have access to the latest climate science so that our region can get the biggest benefit from local climate actions.

Currently, Napa Recycling and Waste Services (NRWS) is doing a study of its composting and recycling operations using Total Climate Accounting. The study will consider the relative benefits of various mitigation options, particularly on methane to enable NRWS to get the greatest benefit for the investment made and support regional 2030 goals.

As a long-time resident of American Canyon, I am disappointed that in all the exhibits listed for the General Plan Update, there is not a single reference to setting aside any amount of undeveloped land for conservation easement. There is ample reference of development and zoning for such, but no acknowledgement that conservation of existing habitat is important to the present or future plans of American Canyon.