Best Practices

ENERGY BEST PRACTICE

Air Travel Carbon Offsets

San Francisco, CA

Purpose

To fund efforts that aid in carbon reduction or absorption

Background & Summary

In December 2007, the Mayor issued an Executive Directive and the first ever City program to invest in carbon offsets, identifying the problem of local carbon pollution generated by City activities. The first, or pilot, phase allows City departments to purchase carbon offsets when employees travel by airplane. With the purchase of these offsets, projects selected by the Department of the Environment (including solar panel installation on low-income housing and biodiesel conversion technologies) will be subsidized, creating the San Francisco Carbon Fund.

Phase two of the program will allow San Francisco residents and businesses to purchase carbon offsets as well.

Fiscal Impacts

Approximately 13% of the City’s air travel budget will be allocated to the purchase of carbon offsets (as determined by the Department of the Environment).

Contact For This Best Practice

Last updated September 1, 2009

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