Greenhouse Gas Handbook Update Helps Shape Climate-Smart California Planning

Sonoma Technology, partnered with several agencies and research organizations, published a landmark guide to address climate change and community health: <a href="https://www.caleemod.com/handbook/index.html" target="_blank"><i>Handbook for Analyzing Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions, Assessing Climate Vulnerabilities, and Advancing Health and Equity</i> (the GHG Handbook).</a href> The GHG Handbook serves local governments, communities, and project developers in California and beyond. Published in 2021, the Handbook updates the California Air Pollution Control Officers Association (CAPCOA) 2010 document, “Quantifying Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Measures.”<br>
The Handbook provides methods to quantify GHG emission reductions from various measures, primarily focused on project-level actions. The Handbook also includes a method to assess potential benefits of different climate vulnerability reduction measures, as well as measures that can be implemented to improve health and equity, again at the project level. Work also included updating the California Emissions Estimator Model (CalEEMod).<br>
Handbook development involved CAPCOA, the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD), the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), Fehr & Peers, and ICF, in addition to Sonoma Technology. Funding partners included the California Department of Transportation, BAAQMD, SMAQMD, the California Department of Public Health, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).