Minutes 2019 0325 State of the City Address

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2 As Mayor, I am confident we can “Build a Sustainable Tomorrow, Together.” We are taking on big challenges, working together for lasting solutions, and looking ahead to make our city a place that future generations will not only want to live in; but will be able to find housing here and afford it. Environmental Sustainability Let’s start with environmental sustainability. A growing issue of concern at the national level, with the threat of climate change, has been environmental sustainability. This topic is one of particular concern to me -- I am both worried about our future, but excited about some of the key ways we are reducing our carbon footprint. This is an area where there is a lot of opportunity for increased community involvement, as we all have a part to play in addressing this complex issue. As we all know, our climate is projected to grow warmer and experience greater changes in precipitation in the future. Current trends of intermittent wet and dry winters, followed by hot, dry summers are leading to greater occurrences of wildfires and landslides. We also know that our shoreline is being threatened by sea-level rise. Of course, we also live in an area that has earthquakes, so we know that we need to be prepared for all disasters. As a city, we have a duty to identify these types of local hazards, and make sure the right resources are in place to keep our residents and infrastructure safe. This past year, we increased collaboration between the City’s Sustainability Office, Emergency Services staff, and the Alameda County Fire Department, which has resulted in more coordinated public outreach focusing on climate-emergency preparedness. Our Fire department is holding more classes to get our residents trained for emergencies at the neighborhood level. It is so important to have the strong partnership with our first responders. We continue the process of updating our local Climate Action Plan, which enables us to meet our ambitious goals of reaching a 40% reduction in Greenhouse Gas emissions by 2030, and an 80% reduction by the year 2050. To help these efforts, we are working across departments and agencies, and in partnership with national organizations dedicated to finding sustainable solutions. We are also educating our residents, and working with community-based organizations to engage and prepare. At the national level, our partnership with Cities of Service has been invaluable, and I’m proud to sit as a member on their Board. They are a non-profit organization that was founded thanks to