The Gateway Cities Council of Governments (COG) was formed in order to improve the quality of life for the two million residents of Southeast Los Angeles County. The organization works toward this goal through targeted initiatives that include transportation planning, affordable housing, economic development, improving air quality, and other community-enhancing activities.
The City of Paramount is currently participating as a Member City in one of the COG’s latest initiatives: the Climate Action Planning (CAP) Framework. Since October 2017, City Staff has attended meetings and workshops related to this effort.
The Gateway COG received grant funds to prepare a regional CAP Framework that local jurisdictions can use to develop a voluntary Climate Action Plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in their communities. The CAP Framework is intended to help individual communities advance their goals for economic development, public health, air quality, climate resiliency, equity, and job creation while planning for the impacts of climate change.
The Framework will assist COG in advancing California’s legislated climate goals, including AB 32 and SB 32, SB 375, and SB 379.
Member cities such as Paramount assist the Gateway COG in developing the Framework, providing input through a series of stakeholder workshops over the course of a year. Because the program will affect these communities directly, the member cities help set priorities that affect how the CAP Framework identifies locally-appropriate strategies for GHG reduction and climate change adaptation.
Once the Framework is complete, member cities will be able to utilize a variety of tools, templates, and guidance to set GHG reduction targets. Cities will also be able to develop a local Climate Action Plan and track their own emission reductions over time, while engaging with their communities.
The next CAP Framework workshops are scheduled for May and September 2018.
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