The Sonoma County Regional Climate Protection Authority (RCPA) is honored to have been designated California’s first “Climate Resilience District” with the passage of SB 852 (Dodd) in 2022. This designation enables RCPA to pursue new sources of funding to support its coordinated regional approach to effectively address climate change across all jurisdictions within Sonoma County.

What is a Climate Resilience District?

A Climate Resilience District (CRD) is a new type of financing district available to local governments and special districts across California. CRDs can implement comprehensive strategies to enhance a local community’s ability to withstand and adapt to the impacts of climate change. These strategies can include integrating sustainable infrastructure, green spaces, and renewable energy solutions to mitigate climate risks such as flooding, heat waves, and sea level rise. CRDs foster collaboration among local governments, businesses, and residents to develop resilient regional planning, improve disaster preparedness, and promote environmental sustainability. By prioritizing climate resilience, CRDs seek to create healthier, safer, and more adaptive communities for the future.

Local governments face steep challenges in meeting their climate goals. The option to form a CRD fills a significant gap in the framework of addressing climate change by giving communities and regions the means of establishing local entities that span jurisdictional lines and focus resources on the most urgent aspects of climate change as determined locally. The legislation allows cities, counties, and special districts to create CRDs that can utilize private, local, state, and federal funding to address local climate change priorities.

What can a Climate Resilience District do for our community?

The role of Climate Resilience Districts is to secure funding for and help coordinate efforts across individual jurisdictions within a specific region, allowing for a holistic and integrated approach to climate change mitigation and adaptation at the local level. The ability to act as a cross-sector collaborator to bring together local jurisdictions in partnership can be extended through the inclusion of diverse stakeholders in both the outreach and implementation of climate-related efforts. These additional partners can include local businesses, community organizations, and area residents to ensure that a wide array of perspectives and expertise is leveraged, leading to more robust and inclusive climate strategies.

A partnership model such as this also establishes mechanisms to monitor progress and ensure accountability for local climate action. Coordination at the multi-jurisdictional level helps create a more resilient community by leveraging efforts across jurisdictions. The vision of CRDs also includes a sustained focus on long-term sustainability and resilience. This forward-looking approach is essential for addressing the ongoing impacts of climate change and ensuring the well-being of future generations.

The success of RCPA serves as a model for other regions looking to establish CRDs. RCPA’s achievements underscore the unique advantages of a regional approach to climate action, highlighting the potential for significant, positive environmental and social impacts. The strategies and frameworks developed for one jurisdiction can then be adapted and replicated in different contexts, amplifying the impact of these pioneering efforts on a broader scale.

For information on CRD formation and funding:

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