Los Angeles must face the significant environmental challenges of today in order to thrive in the future.

Energy

Long-term sustainability for Los Angeles requires dramatically reducing emissions of traditional air pollutants and the greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change.

  • In the U.S., energy production and use accounts for more than 80% of our emissions of greenhouse gases, the drivers of climate change.
  • Renewable resources such as wind and solar only provide about 22% of the County’s electricity, not nearly enough to reduce the detrimental impacts of climate change.
  • One-third of the city’s energy comes from coal plants in Utah.
  • Urban sprawl and the region’s famous car culture are responsible for the majority of Los Angeles’ notorious air quality problems.

Water

Los Angeles County imports most of its water from climate-vulnerable sources that are located hundreds of miles away. This practice is detrimental to ecosystem health and it is energy-intensive.

  • The city of Los Angeles imports nearly 90% of its water, and the County as a whole imports almost 60%, from sources hundreds of miles away.
  • Nearly 20% of the state’s energy consumption is used for water delivery and treatment.
  • Enormous volumes of L.A.’s highly treated wastewater and storm water flow straight to the ocean. Only about one-third of the county’s water is locally sourced.
  • Uncaptured rainfall (15 inches per year on average) and other usable water flows into the ocean, while groundwater basins that could contain this water are far below capacity.
  • Irrigation of lawns and other water-intensive landscaping are conspicuously wasteful and unsustainable, given the region’s naturally semi-arid climate.

Enhanced ecosystem health and human well-being

Our vision for Los Angeles is one where native species thrive and there are green spaces in cities and protected lands where citizens can enjoy nature.

  • Because of climate change, the L.A. region can expect increases in temperature, sea level, and wildfire frequency and size, as well as decreased local snowfall and changes in the severity of extreme weather events.
  • By 2050, downtown L.A. will experience three times as many extremely hot days as it does now — and the valleys and mountains will experience four times as many scorchers.