Climate Action Plan

San Diego’s 2022 Climate Action Plan (English / Spanish) establishes a community-wide goal of net zero by 2035, committing San Diego to an accelerated trajectory for greenhouse gas reductions. In addition to reducing emissions, implementing the Climate Action Plan also results in cleaner air, directs investment into communities, and improves overall quality of life.

On April 24, 2023, the City completed an Implementation Plan as an accompaniment to the Climate Action Plan. The Climate Action Implementation Plan has been a helpful tool to clearly define each City department’s role in Climate Action Plan implementation each fiscal year and further integrate equity into climate action-related projects and initiatives.

2025 Status Update for the Climate Action Implementation Plan

The 2025 Status Update for the Climate Action Implementation Plan utilizes the best available data to gauge progress toward the 2030 goal of the Climate Action Plan and update the Climate Action Implementation Plan completed in 2023. The 2025 Status Update includes revisions made in response to comments received during the December 10, 2025, stakeholder workshop on the Draft 2025 Status Update.

The 2025 Status Update is anticipated to go before the City Council in March 2026.

Draft Status Update and Stakeholder Workshop

The City Planning Department released a Draft 2025 Status Update for the Climate Action Implementation Plan on December 5, 2025, and hosted a virtual stakeholder workshop on the 2025 Status Update on December 10, 2025. At the workshop staff presented an overview of the 2025 Status Update and attendees had the opportunity to ask questions, share comments on the status update and provide input on furthering implementation of the Climate Action Plan and the forthcoming update of the Climate Action Plan.

View the recording of the Dec. 10, 2025, Stakeholder Workshop

View the presentation slides from the Dec. 10, 2025, Stakeholder Workshop.

Climate Action Plan Update

The City Planning Department is in the process of a Climate Action Plan Update to maintain alignment with State targets and goals for reducing emissions through actions that also deliver core community benefits, including increased climate resilience, and equitable outcomes for all San Diegans. The update, which is anticipated to complete by 2027, will include new and revised measures and actions to achieve emissions reductions to levels that meet or exceed the plan's targets. The update will provide implementation details for the updated measures and actions and set forth mechanisms for monitoring and amending the plan.

Track the City's progress on Climate Action implementation by exploring our Climate Dashboard.

Climate Dashboard

Discover concrete ways you can get involved in climate action below.

Strategy 1: Decarbonization of the Built Environment

This strategy aims to dramatically avoid greenhouse gas emissions from buildings across the City and to improve our indoor air quality. It includes measures to address emissions from existing buildings and municipal facilities and for new development.

2030 Target	2035 Target
Phase out 45% of natural gas usage from existing buildings	Phase out 90% of natural gas usage from existing buildings
All-electric reach code starting 2023 at new residential and commercial development
Phase out 50% of natural gas usage in municipal facilities	Phase out 100% of natural gas usage in municipal facilities

Get Involved

Strategy 2: Access to Clean & Renewable Energy

This strategy maintains the City’s commitment to 100% renewable energy and now acknowledges that the pathway to achieving this target is through San Diego Community Power (SDCP). It also sets more ambitious targets for converting the City’s fleet of vehicles to electric and, for the first time, aims to increase the number of electric vehicles used by our communities.

2030 Target	2035 Target
100% renewable or GHG-free power provided by SDCP for all SDCP customers in the City of San Diego
Percent of all municipal fleet vehicles to be ZEVs: LDV: 50% MDV: 50% HDV: 50%	Percent of all municipal fleet vehicles to be ZEVs: LDV: 100% MDV: 75% HDV: 75%
16% e-VMT out of all Light-duty VMT	25% e-VMT out of all Light-duty VMT

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Strategy 3: Mobility & Land Use

This strategy focuses on emissions from transportation, which account for more than half of all greenhouse gas emissions in San Diego. It also includes actions that support mode shift through mobility and land-use actions and policies.

2030 Target	2035 Target
19% walking and 7% cycling mode share of all San Diego residents' trips	25% walking and 10% cycling mode share of all San Diego residents' trips
10% transit mode share of all San Diego residents' trips	15% transit mode share of all San Diego residents' trips
Achieve 4% citywide VMT reduction through telecommute by 2030	Achieve 6% citywide VMT reduction through telecommute by 2035
Install 13 new roundabouts	Install 20 new roundabouts
8% VMT (commuter and non-commuter) reduction per capita	15% VMT (commuter and non-commuter) reduction per capita

Get Involved

Take transit or participate in Transit Tuesday.
Interested in an electric vehicle? Explore different EV options.
Walk or bike to nearby locations instead of taking your car to reduce emissions and save gas money!
Learn how to safely ride a scooter.
Ask your employer about telework opportunities.

Strategy 4: Circular Economy & Clean Communities

This strategy maintains a 90% waste diversion rate and captures methane from our landfill and wastewater treatment facilities. It also includes actions to increase healthy food access and food recovery.

2030 Target	2035 Target
82% Waste Diversion Rate and 85% Landfill Gas Capture	90% Waste Diversion Rate and 90% Landfill Gas Capture
99% Methane Capture	99% Methane Capture

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Strategy 5: Resilient Infrastructure and Healthy Ecosystems

This strategy will help the City thrive in the face of the impacts of climate change through a greater focus on the greening of our City, starting with our Communities of Concern. It also includes targets for the restoration of salt marshland for sequestration and increasing our local water supply through Pure Water San Diego.

2030 Target	2035 Target
Restore 350 acres of salt marshland and other associated tidal wetland and riparian habitats	Restore 700 acres of salt marshland and other associated tidal wetland and riparian habitats
28% urban canopy cover	35% urban canopy cover
Provide 33,000 acre-feet local water supply from Pure Water San Diego	Provide 93,000 acre-feet local water supply from Pure Water San Diego

Get Involved

Strategy 6: Emerging Climate Actions

This strategy addresses greenhouse gas emissions that remain after all currently identified measures have been achieved. These emissions must be addressed to achieve our net-zero goal. The City will continue to identify additional actions, pursue technological innovation, expand partnerships, and support research that reduces GHG emissions in all sectors.

2030 Target	2035 Target
2,262,000 additional reduction/removal needed

Implement

Implementation of the CAP is a large, interdepartmental effort that requires significant collaboration. To ensure that the City meets its goal, the Sustainability and Mobility Department has been working with other departments to put together an Implementation Matrix (linked below). The Implementation Matrix has been expanded into an Implementation Plan that will be brought forward for consideration in early 2023.

On Feb. 28, we released the draft Implementation Plan as an accompaniment to the Climate Action Plan. The Climate Action Implementation Plan organizes the City's processes and government structure around the net-zero goal - centering equity, accountability, and transparency. An Implementation Cost Analysis (ICA) report was prepared in tandem to estimate the known costs and staffing needs for CAP implementation over the first five fiscal years. Please email us at sustainability@sandiego.gov with any questions, comments, or feedback on the draft plan.

Learn More

Our Climate, Our Future Activity Book

In partnership with the San Diego Public Library, we created an activity book for youth to get inspired about the future of San Diego. Share your creations with us at sustainability@sandiego.gov.

Download and print the activity book in English or Español

Request Virtual Presentation

Email us at sustainability@sandiego.gov to have our team present to your community group. The Sustainability and Mobility Department is offering presentations to community groups who would like to learn about "Our Climate, Our Future" and provide feedback.

Past Forums

In 2020, we hosted ten forums, including one in each council district. Watch the video of our first public forum. In February 2021, we hosted a virtual forum focused on the business community. Watch that recording here.

How Did We Get Here?

This helpful video sums up the main strategies of the Climate Action Plan. Meet five San Diego residents who are helping the City achieve its goals: youtu.be/DrJGpTSXOdg.