San Francisco’s climate challenges—like heat waves and flooding—disproportionately impact our most vulnerable communities. The Planning Department prioritizes equity and environmental justice in its climate work, aiming to protect those most at risk while advancing healthier, more resilient neighborhoods for everyone.
Sea Level Rise / Waterfront
Reports and plans identify the impacts of coastal flooding due to climate change and identify strategies to make San Francisco more resilient in the face of rising sea levels.
Ongoing Projects
- Yosemite Slough will recommend strategies to protect the neighborhood surrounding Yosemite Slough and advance environmental justice in Bayview Hunters Point.
- Port of San Francisco Waterfront Resilience Program works to ensure the waterfront, and its critical regional and citywide assets, are resilient to hazards - and increasingly accessible to everyone it serves.
- Ocean Beach Climate Change Adaptation Project will create new public open space, protect key public assets, and ensure coastal access in the face of climate change.
Adopted Strategies and Guidance
- Citywide Sea Level Rise Adaptation determined strategies to make San Francisco more resilient in the face of rising sea levels.
- Islais Creek Adaptation Strategy was a two-year community planning process in the Islais Creek area, with actionable strategies that address sea level rise and coastal flood risk.
Climate Resilience Planning
Overarching adopted climate plans with specific actions to mitigate and adapt to climate-related hazards.
General Plan Updates
- Environmental Justice framework of General Plan (2023) articulates broad visions and priorities to guide city policy objectives.
- Safety & Resilience Element of General Plan (2022) provides a comprehensive set of policies for minimizing San Francisco's contribution to climate change.
San Francisco Climate Action Plan
The Climate Action Plan (CAP) charts a pathway to achieve net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, while addressing racial and social equity, public health and economic resilience.
Hazards and Climate Resilience Plan
The Hazards and Climate Resilience Plan (HCR) is San Francisco’s roadmap to addressing the impacts of natural hazards and climate change on our assets and our people. It identifies the hazards and risks San Francisco faces and proposes over 90 strategies to reduce risks and adapt to climate change impacts.
Local Coastal Program
The Local Coastal Program (LCP) is a policy and regulatory document required by the California Coastal Act that establishes land use, development, natural resource protection, coastal access, and public recreation policies for San Francisco's Coastal Zone.