The Cooling Long Beach project is one of several projects the City of Long Beach is working on to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This project specifically helps to implement measures that are identified in the Long Beach Climate Action and Adaptation Plan and General Plan, such as policies aimed at creating a more resilient and sustainable community.

Many places, including Long Beach, have seen changes in weather, with associated increases in droughts and intensified rainfall, as well as more frequent and severe heat waves. As the changes become more pronounced in the coming decades, they will most likely present local challenges to human health and welfare, the economy, and ecosystems. This project will focus on identifying strategies to cool Long Beach’s streets to reduce the risks of climate change and reduce greenhouse emissions.

The City of Long Beach has partnered with the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), Alta, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles, and the Washington Neighborhood Association study the impacts of extreme heat on the Washington Neighborhood and develop a toolkit of strategies to cool its sidewalks, streets, and alleyways. This toolkit will be a resource for both the neighborhood and the City as a whole. This project was made possible by SCAG’s Sustainable Communities Program which supports local jurisdictions to address climate change and reduce greenhouse emissions by providing technical assistance to prepare cooling strategies.