The Sonoma County Regional Climate Protection Authority (RCPA), the nation’s first local government agency created specifically to address climate change, has been named a Climate Action Champion by the White House.
The 16 national recipients “represent a diverse group of communities that are defining the frontier of ambitious climate action, and their approaches can serve as a model for other communities to follow,” Press Secretary Josh Earnest said in a statement.
The RCPA was noted for committing to a 25 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels through formal partnerships, pooling financial and human resources, and working across silos.
The RCPA was formed in 2009 to improve coordination on climate change issues and establish a clearinghouse for efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is made up of the same Board of Directors as the county transit authority, and includes representatives from the Board of Supervisors and each of the nine cities in Sonoma County, including Sonoma City Councilmember Laurie Gallian.
“We’re very happy about the recognition,” said RCPA Executive Director Suzanne Smith. “This is truly a collaboration of local agencies, pulling from all the good work going on.”
The strength of the panel, Smith said, is the sharing of information and pooling of resources. “Communication is a key component, it’s one of the reasons to create the panel.” One example would be if one city, say Santa Rosa, wanted to roll out a program, smaller cities could get onboard, she said.
“Nobody has to reinvent the wheel,” Smith said. “That’s the value of a collaborative model.”
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