From Planning to Action: How LA County Is Rethinking Climate Resilience

In this wide-ranging interview, LA County Chief Sustainability Officer Rita Kampalath discusses the County’s evolving approach to climate resilience and disaster recovery, emphasizing a shift from planning to implementation. Since the adoption of the OurCounty Sustainability Plan in 2019, more than 80 percent of prioritized actions are either completed or on track — including major accomplishments like the oil drilling phase-out ordinance, the County’s first water plan, and expanded renewable energy access through the Clean Power Alliance. Now, as the County updates the plan, Kampalath stresses the need for targeted updates that reflect emerging challenges such as extreme heat, flooding, and wildfire recovery.

A major addition to the revised plan is a comprehensive climate resilience strategy, led by the newly appointed Climate Resilience Officer. This role emerged from a growing recognition that climate hazards are affecting residents now — not just in the future — and must be addressed through cross-departmental coordination and equitable community engagement. Kampalath notes that disaster recovery efforts, such as rebuilding after the Eaton and Palisades fires, are an opportunity to "build back better," integrating modern resilience standards while navigating policy challenges around rebuilding codes, infrastructure, and public expectations.

Kampalath also reflects on the limitations of existing governance and funding structures, which often are not equipped to handle the complexity of today’s climate threats. She stresses that the urgency now lies in execution or implementation and that regional cooperation and flexible funding mechanisms are essential to move from vision to action. Drawing lessons from other jurisdictions like Boulder and Maui, Kampalath calls for a rethinking of both how government collaborates internally and how it secures the resources necessary to support communities not just in recovery, but in long-term climate resilience.