The City of Los Angeles is home to 4 million people living within 470 square miles. With that number of people constantly on the move, it’s not surprising that nearly half of L.A.’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions come from transportation sources. But the City’s geographic area and large population also offer opportunities for environmental bene fits.
In May 2007, Los Angeles released “Green LA: An Action Plan to Lead the Nation in Fighting Global Warming.” The City’s goal is to reduce GHG emissions to 35% below 1990 levels by the year 2030. The Climate Action Plan focuses on reducing GHG emissions by increasing the use of renewable energy sources, implementing green building policies, diverting waste from landfi lls, greening the Port of L.A., and changing land use and transportation patterns to reduce dependence on automobiles.
Los Angeles is making strides to reduce emissions as the City emitted approximately 50.3 million metric tons (MMT) of CO2 in 2007, down 7% from 54.1 million metric tons in 1990. These emission reductions are saving the City over $70,000 a year. Read more in this CoolCalifornia.org case study.