Yolo County Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
The Yolo County Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) is a comprehensive roadmap for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and enhancing community resilience to climate change impacts. The dynamic and forward-thinking plan integrates climate mitigation, adaptation, and equity strategies to build resilience and empower vulnerable communities.
Project Facts
- Yolo County, California
- Plan includes a regional carbon sequestration analysis for Natural and Working Lands
- Conducted extensive outreach, including 80+ bilingual outreach activities in English and Spanish
- CAAP was unanimously approved by the Board of Supervisors
- Won the Resilience and Sustainability Excellence Award from the APA Sacramento Valley Section
The Challenge
Through its 2020 Climate Emergency Declaration, Yolo County committed to achieving net-negative GHG emissions by 2030, 15 years ahead of California’s statewide target. Meeting this goal required ambitious GHG emission reduction actions.
Additionally, the County needed to address climate vulnerabilities such as extreme heat, drought, flooding, and wildfire while ensuring a Just Transition to an inclusive, equitable, and resilient local economy.
The Solution
Dudek helped the County create a science-driven, equity-focused CAAP that efficiently used resources through integrated approaches that support multiple goals, addressing both emissions reduction and climate resilience.
The plan included one of the first county-level carbon sequestration analyses for natural and working lands and introduced an innovative Carbon Credit Exchange concept to fund climate-smart agricultural practices. Extensive outreach with growers, Tribal representatives, and farmworker groups ensured feasibility and broad support, and the Plan was unanimously approved by the Board of Supervisors.
The Impact
By achieving net-negative emissions 15 years ahead of schedule, the award-winning CAAP positions Yolo County as a climate leader while building resilience to extreme heat, drought, flooding, and wildfire. The plan delivers lasting benefits through equitable strategies, agricultural partnerships, and nature-based solutions that protect vulnerable communities, enhance sustainability, and create a stronger, more inclusive local economy.
What We Did
- Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Assessment
- Climate Action and Adaptation Planning
- Document Layout and Design
- Implementation Planning
- Outreach and Engagement
- Project Website Development
- Visual Storytelling
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