About RCPA
The Sonoma County Regional Climate Protection Authority (RCPA) coordinates community-wide climate solutions for a better future.
The Sonoma County Regional Climate Protection Authority (RCPA) is governed by a twelve member Board of Directors comprised of representatives from the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and Council Members from each of the nine incorporated jurisdictions – Cloverdale, Cotati, Healdsburg, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, Sonoma, and Windsor.
The RCPA coordinates climate protection activities countywide and performs a variety of important related functions including advocacy, project management, planning, finance, grant administration, and research.
The RCPA coordinates the activities of local jurisdictions with regional, state, and federal entities at both policy and administrative levels. As a coordination agency, the RCPA provides a forum for local elected officials to engage in dialogue on countywide issues, and enables discussions among local and regional entities on a wide range of issues related to greenhouse gas reduction, including planning, program management, and project delivery.
Climate Protection
The RCPA was formed in 2009 through locally sponsored State legislation to coordinate countywide climate protection efforts among Sonoma County’s nine incorporated jurisdictions and multiple countywide agencies.
The RCPA has three main areas of focus: decarbonization, carbon sequestration, and resilience. The RCPA is focused on securing grant funding for greenhouse gas (GHG) reducing programs and projects as well as leading countywide climate planning efforts. In addition, data collection, public information and education are significant elements of the climate protection effort.
In 2014, the RCPA and the local governments of Sonoma County were designated as Climate Action Champions by the White House, in recognition of outstanding leadership in climate action demonstrated within and across each of the nine local jurisdictions, the County of Sonoma, and the regional agency partners.
In September 2019, the RCPA adopted a resolution declaring a climate emergency in Sonoma County and began work on the Sonoma Climate Mobilization Strategy to guide our actions through 2030. The resolution was the first step in solidifying Sonoma County’s commitment to mobilizing an emergency response that is commensurate with the scale of the climate crisis, and over the next 18 months each and every local jurisdiction adopted a similar resolution declaring a local climate emergency.
With the passage of SB 852 (Dodd) in 2022, RCPA was designated California’s first “Climate Resilience District.” This designation enables RCPA to pursue new funding sources to support its coordinated regional approach to effectively address climate change across all jurisdictions within Sonoma County.
Goals
Reduce GHG emission levels by 40% below 1990 levels by 2030.
Reduce GHG emission levels by 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.
Employ a tracking system to effectively capture GHG emission data and assess progress in reduction efforts.
