California Department of Water Resources

Verified to a reasonable level of assurance
Country of Headquarters
United States of America (USA)
Scopes of Emissions in Inventory
Scope 1, Scope 2, Scope 3
Pathway Roadmap Developed?
Yes – formally adopted
Status of Strategy
Planned

Carbon Neutrality Pledge

0%
0%
Pledge to Reach Net Zero by 
Pledge to Reach Carbon Neutrality by 2035
% progress
Scope of Emissions Included
Scope 1, Scope 2
Target Type
Year Goal was Publicly Announced
Target Status
Proposed
Terminology Tags
Carbon Neutral
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions

DWR lays out the following mid-term and long-term GHG emissions reduction goals to guide decision-making beyond 2020:

  • Mid-term Goal — By 2030, reduce GHG emissions to at least 60 percent below the 1990 level.
  • Long-term Goal — By 2035, supply 100 percent of electricity load with zero-carbon resources and achieve carbon neutrality.

 

The DWR is currently in the process of updating our Climate Action Plan, which aims to set a goal of 100 percent of electricity load with zero-carbon resources by 2035.

2035
Proposed
Same as inventory boundary
Same as inventory boundary
Market-based method
Purchased goods and services, Fuel- and energy-related activities (not included in Scope 1 and Scope 2)
Not verified
Alignment with 1.5 degrees trajectory
GHG Protocol

DWR’s Long-term Goal is consistent with the emissions reduction goals and policies established in Senate Bill 1020 (2022) and Senate Bill 1203 (2022). By achieving carbon neutrality by 2035, DWR will also exceed the statewide goal of reducing emissions by at least 80 percent below the 1990 level by 2050, which was established in Executive Order S-3-05 (2005).

807,519
No
Not required (changes are insignificant, <5%)

Interim Targets

Interim Target 
by 
2030
Type of Interim Target
Emissions reduction target
Scopes Addressed by Target
Scope 1, Scope 2
% of Reductions Committed To
60
Target Status
Surpassed (carbon negative/positive, addressing prior emissions)
Mid‐term Goal: By 2030, reduce GHG emissions to at least 60 percent below the 1990 level.
2,746,000
2030

Pathways

General approach and action plan 
Roadmap Developed?
Yes - formally adopted
Status of Strategy
Planned
General Pillars of Strategy
Energy efficiency, Offsets, Conservation, Renewables or low-carbon energy, Customer education, Value chain engagement, Product/service transformation, Low-carbon materials, Employee engagement/training/workforce development, Waste reduction/circular
Energy efficiency, Offsets, Conservation, Renewables or low-carbon energy, Customer education, Value chain engagement, Product/service transformation, Low-carbon materials, Employee engagement/training/workforce development, Waste reduction/circular
Year Adopted
2020
Terminology Tags
Carbon Doxide Capture and Storage
Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)
Scope 1
Scope 2
Scope 3
Net-zero Emissions
GHG Removals
GHG Neutral(ity)
Carbon Neutral

The Climate Action Plan is the Department’s guide to addressing climate change in the programs, projects, and activities over which it has authority.

Our Climate Action Plan is divided into three phases to address mitigation, adaptation, and consistency in the analysis of climate change:

  • Phase I: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan (GGERP, 2020)– The Plan lays out the Department’s GHG emissions reduction goals and strategies for the near-term (present to 2030) and long-term (2045).
  • Phase II: Climate Change Analysis Guidance – This phase of planning develops a framework and guidance for consistent incorporation and alignment of analysis for climate change impacts in DWR’s project and program planning activities.
  • Phase III: Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment (VA) describes, evaluates, and quantifies the vulnerabilities of DWR’s assets and business to potential climate change impacts. The Phase III: Adaptation Plan (AP) will help prioritize DWR resiliency efforts such as infrastructure improvements, enhanced maintenance and operation procedures, revised health and safety procedures, and improved habitat management.
The Climate Registry General Reporting and Verification Protocols, Executive Orders, SB1203, SB1020
Goal 3: Good health and well-being, Goal 4: Quality education, Goal 5: Gender equality, Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation, Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy, Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth, Goal 9: Industry, innovation, and infrastructure, Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production, Goal 13: Climate action, Goal 14: Life below water, Goal 15: Life on land, Goal 17: Partnerships to achieve the goal
Energy/fuel switching, Operational adjustments, Materials adjustments, Policy engagement, Value chain engagement, Market mechanisms, Customer education, Land use management, Internal strategies (strategies to reduce direct GHG emissions within Scope 1), External strategies (strategies to reduce indirect emissions and project-based offsets/credits), Nature-based solutions, Research & development, Adaptation/Resilience, Direct air carbon dioxide capture and storage (DACCS)
Renewables, No carbon
Overall operational efficiency, Employee behavior modification, Circular economy/waste reduction, Automation, product/service switching, Workforce development, Materials adjustments, Policy engagement, Value chain engagement, Market mechanisms
Funding, Policy development, Policy adoption, Customer behavioral change, Stakeholder engagement, Business-case for adjustments, Leadership buy-in/effective governance
N/A
N/A
N/A
Energy/fuel switching, Operational adjustments, Policy engagement
Energy/fuel switching, Operational adjustments
Yes
CARB CAP & Trade, CARB CAP & Trade, American Carbon Registry

DWR will consider purchasing carbon offsets from other entities as needed to meet its GHG reduction goals. Carbon offsets purchased by DWR pursuant to Update 2023 must represent a real, permanent, quantifiable, verifiable, enforceable, and additional reduction of GHG emissions consistent with the requirements of AB 32

About

California Department of Water Resources

Description

The mission of the California Department of Water Resources (CDWR) is to manage the water resources of California in cooperation with other agencies for the benefit of the state’s people and protect, restore, and enhance the natural and human environments. DWR operates and maintains the State Water Project (SWP), including the California Aqueduct, and provides dam safety, flood control, and local water management assistance while it plans for State’s future water needs.

City of Headquarters
Scope of Emissions Included
Scope 1, Scope 2, Scope 3
UNFCCC Categories Included
Inventory Verification Status
Verified to a reasonable level of assurance
Government (Subnational)
State
501 - 10,000
United States of America (USA)
Entity-Wide (Operational or Financial Control)
TCR’s GRP
TCR
Yes
State of California
Financial Control, Equity Share
Calendar Year
2021
Scope 1, Scope 2, Scope 3
Stationary combustion of fuels in any stationary equipment including boilers, furnaces, burners, turbines, heaters, incinerators, engines, flares, etc., GHG emissions from mobile sources (e.g. emissions produced by the combustion of fuels in engines used for transportation, construction, agriculture, and forestry)., Intentional or unintentional releases from the production, processing, transmission, storage, and use of fuels and other substances, that do not pass through a stack, chimney, vent, exhaust pipe or other functionally equivalent opening.
Indirect emissions from purchased electricity
Market-Based Method
Purchased goods and services, Fuel- and energy-related activities (not included in scope 1 or scope 2)
15
Verified to a reasonable level of assurance
Scope 1, Scope 2
201920202021
Scope 1
10386
Scope 2
405859
Scope 3
No Scope 3 Data Reported
Scope 1
13102
Scope 2
156998
Scope 3
No Scope 3 Data Reported
Scope 1
9295
Scope 2
260102
Scope 3
No Scope 3 Data Reported

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