BARC’s unique composition fosters innovative ideas and action-oriented plans to address critical issues impacting people and places. We build collaboration across our member agencies to deal with the causes and impacts of climate change, with a focus on putting the needs and concerns of frontline, low-income communities front and center.

BARC’s Governing Board approved a Joint Resolution to Address Climate Change on September 17, 2021, calling for the creation of a Shared Work Plan focused on better aligning regional authorities, capacities, and expertise in ongoing efforts to mitigate climate change, advance effective climate adaptation planning to manage risks to different climate hazards, and in exercising regulatory roles and actions. In May 2022, the Governing Board authorized the BARC Shared Work Plan which outlines three ambitious initiatives to equitably advance a strategic regional approach to adapting to climate change and to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to an emphasis on social equity, the Shared Work Plan seeks to amplify the valuable roles the regional and state agencies can play in supporting cities, counties, special districts and community-based leaders in implementing climate resilient strategies and actions on the ground. The Plan recognizes the importance of creating strong linkages to state and federal programs, guidelines and funding.

The Shared Work Plan’s three initiatives fall within two overarching categories (Resilient Bay Area and Carbon Free Future):

Resilient Bay Area

  • Initiative 1 – Develop a Regional Multi-Hazard Adaptation Plan
  • Initiative 2 – Establish a Regional Technical Assistance Program

How else are we managing the uncertainties of a changing climate? Visit our Past Project pages to get the updates on the projects that emerged from the Resilient by Design Bay Area Challenge and the foundational work accomplished through the Adapting to Rising Tides Bay Area (ART Bay Area) project, Plan Bay Area 2050 and other regional-scale efforts to prepare the region for climate change impacts like increased flooding and sea level rise.

Carbon Free Future

  • Initiative 3 – Accelerate Deployment of Zero-Emission Transit Bus (ZEB) Infrastructure

Can we reduce greenhouse gases to minimize the impacts of climate change on our communities, ecology and economy? BARC is working with key partners to bring to scale some of the best practices to reduce carbon-use in buildings and in the transportation sector. Visit our Past Project pages for more information.