By SDCN Staff
San Diego, CA–Recognizing outstanding efforts to reduce climate-warming pollution, the London-based Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) has awarded the City of San Diego an “A” rating for work to protect its people, economy, and infrastructure from climate hazards.
Of nearly 1,000 cities across the globe that submitted data for the nonprofit CDP to analyze in 2024, only 15% were named to the exclusive A-list. Other cities making the A-list include Denver, San Francisco, Auckland, New Zealand, and Florence, Italy. This is the third year in a row that San Diego has been included.
“This honor shows that San Diego is committed to reducing climate risk and creating a safe, healthy, and enjoyable future,” said City Planning Director Heidi Vonblum. “The City is committed to incorporating climate action and resilience goals into its daily decision-making and aligning land use, transportation, and environmental policies to support a thriving, sustainable city for generations to come.”
Contributing to the City’s top ranking are numerous forward-looking programs that support environmental protection and help improve the quality of life for all San Diegans, including the landmark Climate Action Plan, Mobility Master Plan, Bicycle Master Plan, Coastal Resilience Master Plan, and a new program to install electric vehicle chargers throughout the city. Other City initiatives related to sea level rise, flooding, extreme heat, and wildfire are contained in the Climate Resilient SD Plan.
According to the CDP, 83% of cities worldwide are facing significant climate hazards, such as flooding, extreme heat, wildfires, and drought. The A-list celebrates cities that are global environmental leaders, working hard through transparency, strong leadership, and bold action to collaborate on solutions and support sustainable economic growth in the face of our changing climate.
“Cities are on the frontline of the climate crisis and are uniquely positioned to drive the Earth-positive decisions needed to balance people, planet, and prosperity,” said Hanah Paik, CDP Global Director for Cities, States and Regions.
The City’s current Climate Action Plan was adopted in 2022 and builds upon the 2015 plan. It sets a community-wide goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2035, committing San Diego to an accelerated trajectory for greenhouse gas reductions.
