CARLSBAD — The Carlsbad City Council adopted an updated Climate Action Plan on Tuesday aimed at meeting the city’s 2045 greenhouse gas reduction targets.
After a public hearing featuring a range of community opinions and detailed deliberations among elected officials, the council‘s decision on Tuesday reflected a balance between achieving climate goals while addressing economic and feasibility concerns raised by various stakeholders.
Mayor Keith Blackburn proposed the motion for Option 1, which included a proposed amendment that meets the minimum 2045 reduction target but excludes measures such as updated reach codes for residential and nonresidential buildings and city-owned solar carports equipped with battery backups and charging stations.
“I got a little bit of coaching from the city manager on how to properly do this, so my motion is going to be for (Option 1), but with the addition of city-owned solar canopy or carport with battery backup and charging stations,” Blackburn said.
This option meets but does not exceed the state’s 2045 greenhouse gas reduction target of achieving carbon neutrality through reducing greenhouse gas emissions and removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
The council ultimately voted 4-1 in favor of adopting a revised Option 1 that includes the implementation of solar canopies or carports, with Councilmember Teresa Acosta voting against the motion due to her preference for Option 4. This option includes all the proposed measures in the plan’s update and exceeds the 2045 greenhouse gas reduction target by approximately 6,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.
“I won’t be supporting (revised Option 1) because I’m adamant that we need to do as much as we can, and that’s Option 4,” Acosta said, explaining her vote against the motion.
Over the last 10 years, California has passed two key laws setting ambitious climate targets. Senate Bill 32, passed in 2016, requires the California Air Resources Board to reduce the state’s emissions to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. Looking further ahead, Assembly Bill 1279, passed in 2022, mandates an 85% reduction in emissions from 1990 levels by 2045.
According to 2016 baseline data, Carlsbad’s total emissions were 981,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. The largest contributor to emissions was transportation on roads and streets, accounting for 51% of the total emissions from all vehicle travel. Electricity usage followed at 27%, and natural gas contributed 14% to the city’s overall carbon footprint.
The city’s emissions are equivalent to the consumption of 110 million gallons of gasoline, the continuous operation of 218,000 passenger vehicles for one year or the electricity consumption of 124,000 homes for one year.
The approved Climate Action Plan update now mandates the construction of solar panels over outdoor parking spaces at eligible city-owned parking lots, alongside other measures, while balancing feedback from community members and business leaders who voiced concerns over feasibility and cost.
The meeting, which featured extensive public input, reflected the community’s varied perspectives on Carlsbad’s climate priorities. Proponents of stronger measures, such as the Sierra Club and residents advocating for full electrification, argued for comprehensive reach codes to enhance emissions reductions.
Feedback from members of the Sierra Club suggested the city electrify its fleet faster, require new construction to be all-electric, increase charging infrastructure along thoroughfares such as state Route 78, install bike lane improvements along Coast Highway 101 from Palomar Airport Road to Tamarack, and switching the default for Clean Energy Alliance customers to 100% clean energy, among other suggestions.
Meanwhile, business representatives and trade organizations urged caution, supporting measures that would not impose significant economic burdens. Members of the Building Industry Association expressed concerns about the city exceeding the state’s standards, raising questions about who will build all the new charging stations and what cost.
According to SDG&E, California must reduce emissions at 4.5 times the pace of historical reductions and grow its electric system capacity to approximately four times the capacity that existed in 2020 to achieve net zero by 2045.
