Piedmont reports 32% drop in emissions since 2005 but not on track for 2030 target

Andrew Kaplowitz, the city’s sustainability clerk, presented the 2023 greenhouse gas inventory and related Climate Action Plan 2.0 updates and fielded detailed methodology questions from council.

"Since 2005, Piedmont citywide emissions have decreased by 32%," Kaplowitz said when summarizing the inventory. He reported 2023 citywide emissions totaled a little more than 33,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent and that 97% of those emissions came from transportation (largely passenger vehicles) and building energy (primarily residential natural gas). Kaplowitz and Sustainability Program Manager Denise Ergen highlighted recent local programs — more than $65,000 allocated in electrification rebates to date, an induction cooktop lending program in partnership with Acterra, and a community task force developing an existing-building electrification strategy.

Council members pressed on methodology — staff said they used Google’s Environmental Insights Explorer (EIE) tool for transportation estimates (with limitations for smaller jurisdictions) and direct utility and agency data for building and water/wastewater sectors. Staff said municipal emissions rose to roughly 1,100 metric tons CO2e in 2023 largely because of improved methodology and employee commute data capture and recommended city-led measures such as municipal EV chargers on Magnolia Avenue, employee incentives for low‑carbon commutes, energy audits of city facilities using PG&E financing, and a continued push on home electrification.