Sustainability
Climate change is an issue that affects everyone. It will continue to have profound impacts on the City of Stockton for the coming decades. California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment (see External Links below), published in 2018 identifies several impacts that directly affect the San Joaquin Valley including:
- acceleration of warming,
- acceleration of sea-level rise,
- more intense and frequent heatwaves,
- more intense and frequent droughts,
- higher flood frequency, and
- increased wildfires.
These climate changes also have a direct impact on human health. In fact, many of Stockton’s neighborhoods already fall within census tracts that rank among the worst (100th percentile) in the State for environmental health (see External Links below for data provided by CalEnviroScreen 4.0). These neighborhoods experience some of the highest rates of emergency department visits for asthma, emergency department visits for cardiovascular disease, and low birth-weight infants.
Investing in Impacted Neighborhoods
The City must prepare to meet and overcome these challenges by investing in the resiliency of neighborhoods that are at the greatest risk of climate-related consequences. The City has multiple existing climate-related strategic plans, which provide more context to the challenges and needs of Stockton’s various communities.
The cost of inaction cannot be overstated; climate change is an existential threat to our community and the world.
Getting Involved
If you are interested in partnering with the City on an environmental or sustainable initiative, please contact us.
State Approved Community Emissions Reduction Program
The California Air Resources Board has approved a Community Emissions Reduction Program specifically for Stockton. Funding for this $42 million investment in the Stockton community was made possible by the passage of State Assembly Bill AB 617 in 2017.
The program plan was developed by the Stockton Community Steering Committee working with the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District or ValleyAir. The purpose of the program is to improve air quality in disadvantaged areas. The project area extends includes 16 square miles with a population of 132,000 residents, extending from Harding Way (north), Ralph Avenue (south), Navy Drive (west), and Highway 99 (east).
Projects within the city of Stockton that will be implemented over four years include:
- Vegetative Barriers
- Urban Greening
- Home weatherization, solar, air filtration
- Residential lawn and garden equipment
- Commercial lawn and garden equipment
- Bike paths and infrastructure
- Drive clean vehicle replacement
- Electric Vehicle charging stations
- Truck re-route study
- Incentives to replace wood-burning devices
Regional projects that will be developed by other agencies include:
- Car share program
- School air filtration
- Zero-emission heavy-duty trucks
- Truck idling switches
- Locomotive switchers
- Job training programs
To get involved or stay informed of progress, please see External Links below for ValleyAir.
External Links
California's Fourth Climate Change Assessment
California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment - Draft CalEnviroScreen 4.0
California Air Resources Board
San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control (ValleyAir)
ValleyAir AB617 Updates for Stockton
This City of Stockton web page last reviewed on --- 8/5/2021