Sonoma council adopts Climate Action Commission 2026 work plan, including Earth Day outreach and adaptation committee

Antoinette Freeman, the city staff member introduced by the mayor, presented the Climate Action Commission’s 2026 work plan and asked the council to adopt it. Freeman said the commission will continue to identify grant opportunities, conduct public education and outreach, and develop a public-facing climate-action status dashboard. She also described three ad hoc committees: education/community outreach, a metrics committee to organize data for the dashboard and grant applications, and a climate adaptation committee that will analyze the county hazard mitigation plan to identify Sonoma-specific actions such as cooling and heating centers and urban canopy improvements.

“Each committee is enthusiastic,” Freeman said, and the commission is preparing an inaugural Earth Day event on April 25. Council members asked how the adaptation ad hoc will translate county-level guidance into city-specific priorities; Freeman said the committee will review the county draft hazard mitigation plan, identify where Sonoma-specific focus is needed, and propose concrete adaptation measures for the city to consider.

Council members praised the dashboard idea as a transparency tool to track progress and gaps. One council member urged staff to surface measurable action items so the community can see how close the city is to meeting goals; Freeman noted the metrics committee will compile those measures.

Council members moved and seconded approval of the work plan and voted unanimously to adopt it.

The vote was unanimous and the commission will proceed with its ad hoc work and outreach plans, including the April 25 Earth Day event and the development of the dashboard to track climate action metrics.