L.A.'s new sustainability plan, by the numbers

Mayor Eric Garcetti announces his plan for L.A.'s sustainable future. Credit: Alec Lautanen

Read the entire pLAn for L.A.'s sustainable future here.

Mayor Eric Garcetti on April 8 released L.A.'s first-ever Sustainable City Plan, a comprehensive and actionable policy roadmap to prepare Los Angeles for an environmentally healthy, economically prosperous, equitable future in the context of an expected population growth of 500,000 people over the next 20 years. 

The pLAn (as it is called) lays out ambitious short (by 2017) and long term (by 2025 and 2035) goals in 14 categories related to our environment, our economy, and equity encompassing water conservation, clean energy, waste, green jobs, transportation, housing, and neighborhood livability. After announcing the plan, Mayor Garcetti signed an executive directive incorporating the plan into city management, including appointing department-level Chief Sustainability Officers who will work with the city's Chief Sustainability Officer within the Mayor's Administration to achieve the plan's goals.

The plan's targets would make L.A. the national leader in solar, electric vehicle infrastructure, water conservation and green jobs.

Sierra Club welcomes the plan

"This plan will keep an already world-class city firmly on the path toward a secure and sustainable future," Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune says. "By putting the city's first-ever sustainability plan into action, Los Angeles will continue its leadership in cleaning up our air, protecting our strained water supplies and acting on climate change. What's more, this blueprint for safeguarding clean air and water for Los Angeles families recognizes the importance of equity and fairness by ensuring that all Angelenos can benefit from improved air quality, local clean energy and access to parklands."

The plan also breaks new ground by making LA’s first-ever commitments in zero emissions goods movement at the Port of Los Angeles, the first-ever commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050, and the first-ever commitment to reduce per capita vehicle miles traveled.

"Los Angeles grew into one of the world's great cities because its residents and leaders dreamed, planned and then took action to build the metropolis we enjoy today. Now, it's our turn to lay a foundation to secure a brighter future for L.A. We expect at least 500,000 additional people to call our city home by 2035. Our first ever sustainability plan details actions we must take in the coming months and years to secure a future for L.A. that is environmentally healthy, economically prosperous and equitable in opportunity for us all," Mayor Garcetti said. "My back to basics approach is about making sure our city has the strong foundation it needs to soar to new heights."

How the plan would work

Implementation of the plan will be coordinated across every city department, in accordance with the Executive Directive signed by Mayor Garcetti today. Progress made toward the goals laid out in the plan can be tracked by Angelenos on a special Sustainability segment of the Mayor's performance metrics dashboard at https://performance.lacity.org/sustainability.

The success of this initiative rides on the adoption and implementation of the details of the plan not only by City Departments but also by organizations and individual Angelenos who are being asked to Adopt the Plan. For more information about how to #AdoptThePlan into action, visit lamayor.org/sustainability.

Highlights

--By 2017, L.A. will fund and begin the San Fernando Groundwater Basin cleanup and reduce per capita potable water use by 20%.

--By 2025, L.A. will reduce the purchase of imported water by 50%.

--By 2035, L.A. will source 50% of water locally.

--By 2017, L.A. will expand the Better Building Challenge to more than 60 million square feet and avoid 1250 GWh of energy use due to efficiency programs.

--By 2035, L.A. will reduce energy use per squre foot -- for all building types -- by 30%.