Award-Winning Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) Presented July 7th

By Scott Steward

Kristen Wraithwall is the Manager of the Sustainability Division. The Sustainability Division operates within the Health and Safety Department of our Yolo County. Kristen will present the Update on Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) Implementation Progress at this Tuesday’s (July 7th) Yolo County Board of Supervisors Meeting at 9:00 AM.

 Zoom meeting: By PC: https://yolocounty.zoom.us/j/84359964086

Kristen, her staff, the Climate Action Commission, and the County have made consistently strong progress in climate action despite very difficult budget circumstances. This Sustainability work continues to provide our county with grant-funded programs that Yolo County cities and other California counties look to as models for what can be accomplished in their own jurisdictions. Yolo County’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan received the Sacramento Valley Section APA Award of Excellence in Resilience and Sustainability (May 2025) and the Beacon Award from the Institute for Local Government (November 2025). 

Vehicle use remains the #1 source of greenhouse gas emissions in Yolo County, so it is no surprise that 2026-2027 CAAP priorities emphasize transportation, including the implementation of countywide Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) programs. Transportation is followed by building energy efficiency in coordination with Valley Clean Energy, Natural & Working Lands water conservation and carbon soil enhancement, recycling, and public cooling infrastructure.

The Yolo County Climate Action Commission meets monthly and will hold its first meeting as the newly reformed Commission on July 21st.

We can all take pride in the success of the Yolo Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. Our County Supervisor, Sheila Alan, is one of the commission’s liaisons, and Mike Webb, County Administrator (formerly the City of Davis City Manager), is part of the broad leadership support for implementing our county’s action plan. 

From 1,500 linear feet of hedgerows across 389.87 acres of farmland to zero-emission vehicle grant programs, from farmworker transportation to optimizing school recycling programs, we are seeing full integration of a just climate policy in our county, and it is working.

Come listen to how we make a healthy, nurturing world possible at the county presentation this Tuesday, and check out the Yolo County Climate Action Dashboard for regular updates and ways to benefit from energy efficiency grant programs: ClimateAction.YoloCounty.gov