Land use and transportation planning will play key roles in an effort by Los Angeles County to achieve carbon neutrality in 30 years.
"The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has adopted an ambitious climate and sustainability plan that sets the county to go carbon neutral by 2050," reports Jason Plautz.
The OurCounty plan is described on its website as the "boldest county sustainability plan in the nation." At the heart of the plan's approach, according to the website, is an intersectional approach to sustainability:
For example, an action to support local water [pdf] supplies can provide new or improved parks and open space [pdf], while also reducing energy [pdf] from pumping water into Los Angeles from hundreds of miles away. Reducing energy use also reduces air and climate pollution [pdf] as power plants are used less, which also contributes to improved public health [pdf].
As Plautz explains, the result of that approach is 150 strategies focused on health, food systems, transit-oriented development, and housing affordability. "The plan says county officials will use zoning policies to promote thriving places for current and future generations,'" adds Plautz.
FULL STORY: Los Angeles County passes ambitious climate plan
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Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
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Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
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