Municipal Carbon Footprint
The Board of Supervisors and the Mayor of San Francisco have committed to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from 1990 levels by 20% by 2012, 25%by 2017, 40% by 2025 and 80% by 2050. To help achieve this, City government has committed to reducing municipal GHG emissions from a 2005 baseline using these milestones.
In 2005, the City began voluntarily reporting municipal GHG emissions to the California Climate Action Registry (CCAR) using the General Reporting Protocol. Annual municipal GHG emissions were submitted to CCAR for calendar years 2005 through 2008. In 2008, the Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance requiring each department to track their carbon footprints individually in order to produce an annual Climate Action Plan. These plans are called Departmental Climate Action Plans (DepCAPs). To read more about the DepCAP program, click here.
In 2012, registered GHG emissions verifier ICF International completed third party verification of the City’s fiscal year 2009-2010 municipal GHG inventory. The charts and tables below show this inventory totaling 211,533 metric tons of CO2 emissions by source and by department. If you are having trouble viewing the charts below, or would like to see the source data, click here.
Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Municipal GHG Inventory by Source
Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Municipal GHG Inventory by Department
Energy
A dynamic city like San Francisco requires the efficient use of clean, renewable energy to meet the needs of today and future generations. Our innovative policies and programs help San Franciscans use energy wisely, while saving money and reducing environmental impacts.
Transportation
SF Environment aims to reduce travel-created carbon by getting people out of cars and instead traveling by walking, biking or public transit. We also are greening the City fleet of vehicles and encourage the public to reduce their impact by supporting cleaner fuels and vehicles.
Zero Waste
Imagine a world in which nothing goes to landfills or to incinerators. We think it is achievable, and SF Environment is doing everything we can to make it happen.
Toxics & Health
As the first city to adopt the Precautionary Principle, San Francisco strives to protect the health of its residents, visitors and the local environment. SF Environment develops programs and policies to help individuals and businesses make safer choices in products, practices and services.
Buildings & Environments
San Francisco is habitat for 800,000 people – meeting needs for space to work, play, and learn; for food, water, and air; for community with local flora and fauna. SF Environment provides support for urban agriculture and forestry and green buildings, helping residents and businesses harness environmental opportunities.
Education & Equity
SF Environment focuses on building community capacity - engaging people throughout the City’s neighborhoods and providing them with the tools, education, and job opportunities to ensure that the places where we live, play, learn, and work are safe and healthy.
Climate Change
Reducing carbon emissions is central to ensuring a sustainable future for San Francisco. Climate change will bring unstable weather, rising sea levels and damage to our city’s natural habitat and infrastructure. SF Environment is committed to mobilizing the City to deal with Climate Change.






