Library kicks off series on city’s climate plan

The San Diego Central Library is offering a workshop today to teach residents about the city’s climate action plan, which aims to zero out greenhouse gases by 2035.

Topics will include local efforts to green up the region’s electrical grid and transportation sector, as well as ways to buffer residents from the impacts of rising temperatures, according to a news release.

The event will be held at the Neil Morgan Auditorium on the first floor of the downtown public library at 330 Park Blvd. in San Diego. It’s slated to run from 2 to 4 p.m.

Those interested are encouraged to register at sandiego.librarymarket.com. The program is supported by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Today’s event will be the first in a series called Our Climate, Our Future slated to run through April at various libraries in the city. All ages are welcome. Those in attendance today can receive up to two hours of free parking in the library’s garage with a validated ticket.

The city’s climate plan, adopted in 2015, was the driving force behind a government-run alternative to San Diego Gas & Electric called San Diego Community Power. The program hopes to provide 100 percent renewable power by 2030.

The plan calls for increasing the number of people driving electric vehicles by installing new charging stations and pursuing other incentives. The document sets a target for driving in electric vehicles to account for a quarter of all light-duty traffic by 2035.

Most recently, city officials have pledged to ban natural gas in new homes and businesses. Dozens of cities across California have restricted installation of gas stoves and heaters in new construction, including Encinitas.