Yolo County has been planning for climate change, sustainability, and emissions reduction since the 1980s. Since then, the County has been pursuing ambitious sustainability and emissions reductions goals and have established a significant number of policy priorities around climate change, sustainability, and community resilience.

1982 – Yolo County Adopts Energy Plan that was one of the first of its kind.

1985 – County landfill completed a gas-to-energy facility, which generates 20,000 kilowatt hours per year and captures 90% of methane emissions. 

 2007 - Yolo County becomes one of the 12 charter members of the 2007 Cool Counties Initiative (CCI), a nation-wide pledge to an 80% reduction in GHG emissions by 2050.

2008 – Yolo County Conducts Baseline GHG Inventory. View the Report.

2008 – Yolo County creates Action Plan for reducing GHG emissions associated with County Operations.

2009 – Yolo County General Plan calls for creation of a Climate Action Plan.

2011 – Climate Action Plan created using 2008 GHG data.

2015 – County Releases Climate Action Plan Progress Report. 

2018 – Yolo County Adopts Hazard Mitigation Plan. Every five years, the local Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan is updated and submitted to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The plan addresses threats from potential hazards and identifies possible strategies to reduce impacts. In 2018, the Mitigation Plan was approved by FEMA. View the Plan.

2018 – CAP inventory updated using 2016 GHG data. View the Report.

2019 – Yolo Resiliency Collaborative releases Resiliency Planning Toolbox. 

2020 – Yolo County Adopts Resolution 20-114 Declaring a Climate Crisis. View the Resolution. 

2021 – Yolo County Releases Sustainability Plan. View the Sustainability Plan.

2021 – Yolo County Action Commission (YCCAC) is formed. View the Staff Report detailing the YCCAC's formation.

2023 - Yolo County Awarded a SolSmart Bronze Designation. Being awarded a SolSmart Designation is a step forward in making our community more solar-friendly and environmentally sustainable by adopting programs and practices that make it faster, easier, and more affordable to go solar.