The County of Monterey adopted the Municipal Climate Action Plan in 2013 and expects to achieve the 2020 goals for emissions reductions. We’re planning our strategy for meeting the 2030 goals to reduce emissions at county operations by an additional 40% by taking our buildings to Net Zero, increasing the percentage of our employees who telecommute, and incentivizing electrification of our fleet.

The County of Monterey has launched it’s 2030 Countywide Climate Action Plan. Stakeholder engagement is underway. Visit our County Climate Action Plan page to learn more.

We’re building a sustainability team here at the county to tackle issues like waste reduction and compliance at all of our 189 buildings. If you’re a county employee that wants to be a part of sustainability click here to sign up. We’ll meet at least quarterly and will be working to promote sustainable culture and practices here at the county.

Click here to learn more about incentives and rebates you can apply for when purchasing an Electric Vehicle.

Community Engagement is at the heart of our sustainable actions strategy. We’re working with local businesses, advocates, and citizen groups to promote green business practices and inform. If you or someone from your organization wants to be involved in our working groups, please reach out to us. We’re looking for community champions to help us reach our goals and share our efforts within the community.

We’re taking the pulse of sustainability at Monterey County. We want to understand exactly what sustainability means to the people who live, work, and play here. In this effort we will be gauging the importance of the various sustainability topics listed above and together with our communities we will use that information to set meaningful goals that will make a difference in our lives now and in the lives of future generations.

To focus the efforts of the program and encompass the viewpoint of the community, the County Sustainability program has developed the following principles that define its priorities and actions taking into account the role of the County government, the strategic priorities of the Board of Supervisors, the greenhouse gas emissions profile of the County, the environmental threats identified in the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, the results of the Materiality Matrix and the basic tenets of sustainability.

1. Energy and Emissions: Meet or exceed state climate goals for emissions reductions with clean, efficient sources of energy and climate action.
2. Water: Preserve and enhance water quality and supply through efficient and practical measures.
3. Air: Support activities that ensure healthy, clean, fresh air for all County residents.
4. Waste: Transform the way we manage our waste streams to a system that replenishes our resources.
5. Transportation: Actively support planning for complete streets with low-impact and affordable development that increases clean mobility options and access to services.
6. Agriculture: Promote sustainable agricultural practices and support our local food supply.
7. Partnerships: Create partnerships with our cities and regions to share in and maximize our sustainability actions.
8. Adaptation and Mitigation: Prepare and strengthen our community for and against climate change hazards
9. Conservation: Protect and restore the health and balance of our natural habitats.
10. Equity: (overarching theme): Ensure that all sustainability activities are inclusive of diverse cultural, socio-economic and ethnic perspectives and provide ways for disadvantaged communities to thrive.