Re-CAP: Hayward’s Updated Climate Action Plan (CAP)
On Tuesday, January 30th, the City of Hayward’s updated draft Climate Action Plan (CAP) will be presented to the City Council for adoption as an amendment to the City’s General Plan. This update provides a list of programs and policies that aim to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 55% below 2005 levels. High levels of GHG, such as carbon dioxide and methane, in the atmosphere lead to changes in regional and global climate patterns which create more extreme flooding, drought, storms, and wildfires. By adopting the CAP, Hayward will be doing its part along with many other cities across California and the country to reduce GHG emissions and build community resilience to climate change events.
This update will build upon Hayward’s current CAP, adopted in 2014, to provide strategies to reduce GHG emissions, increase community resilience, and support the state and global climate goals. The CAP strategies, called “measures,” are organized into five sectors: Transportation, Building Energy, Water and Wastewater, Solid Waste, and Carbon Sequestration. Measures are then supported by multiple “actions,” which are specific programs and steps to achieve the identified goals. Most measures start with an action that builds a community partnership or calls for a feasibility study.
This CAP update began in 2021 and was informed by Hayward community members, consultants, and City staff. Community feedback and outreach led to many changes and the creation of new actions in the draft CAP. For example, one of the original CAP actions proposed bringing docked e-bike or e-bike scooter hubs to Hayward but was changed following concerns from senior community members that the bikes and scooters can pose safety hazards when not docked properly and left in the middle of the sidewalk. This action was edited to shift away from hubs and towards providing rebates for low-income community members to purchase helmets, e-bikes, e-scooters, and other related equipment. Additionally, community feedback significantly shaped the carbon sequestration measures and actions, especially those related to tree planting.
To read more about the Climate Action Plan update, visit our project website: Climate Action Plan - Hayward Housing and Climate Update and read the entire CAP here.
