More than 120 tri-counties civic and business leaders converged on Santa Barbara May 29 at an invitation-only event organized by CEC to prepare communities for soaring energy prices and reductions in supply. Keynote speaker Bob Hirsch -- a consultant for the U.S. Dept. of Energy and energy expert for CNBC -- painted a grim picture in which global oil production peaks by 2010-2015, while demand continues to surge. The result will likely be far higher prices than the records we’ve seen recently .

It was not all doom and gloom, however. Rick Cole -- City Manager of Ventura -- and Susan Anderson -- Director of the City of Portland's Office of Sustainable Development -- shared how their cities are already reducing energy consumption and, as a pleasant side effect, creating more livable and healthy cities. Key leaders from Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties agreed to work with CEC on a regional energy planning effort. While the future will likely bring significant challenges, CEC is optimistic that through good regional planning we can ease the transition to a fossil free future.

» View photos, press coverage and presentations from the Tri-County Energy Summit HERE

A bold move was under discussion at the July 1 Santa Barbara City Council meeting. The city has been looking at the feasibility and cost of transitioning all city operations to carbon neutrality by 2020, and idea initially suggested by CEC in November 2007.

The city's facilities and energy manager Jim Dewey presented to council, noting that it would take a reduction of nearly 12,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions to reach the goal of carbon neutrality for all city operations. While all of City Council agreed that they generally support renewable energy sources and the reduction of greenhouse gases, some councilmembers expressed concern over the possible costs of the proposal and their lack of understanding over how to drop emission levels so substantially.

Councilmembers Helene Schneider and Das Williams were the strongest supporters of the proposal, both calling for the need to be "a little more bold and visionary" in order to send a serious message to the community. Councilmember Grant House also voiced support for the proposal, noting that by setting the goal of being carbon neutral by 2020 the city will end up being a lot closer, even if they don't entirely meet the goal.

CEC Executive Director Dave Davis and Board President Ivor John both made comments before the council, providing some clarity on how the city might reach such a goal and how important they felt passing such a proposal was for Santa Barbara.

In the end, the council decided to forward the proposal to the city's Finance committee to look more at cost and feasibility and to the Sustainability committee to provide more clarity into a plan to become carbon neutral in the next 12 years. The issue will return to council in 5 months time.

» Watch the video of City Council on July 1 HERE

In 2006, the California state government passed AB32, the Global Warming Solutions Act. This Act requires that we reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. In the second phase of implementation, the California Air Resources Board released a scoping plan. This plan sets out actions designed to reduce overall carbon emissions, improve our environment, reduce our dependence on oil, diversify our energy sources, save energy, and enhance public health--all the while creating new jobs and enhancing California’s economy.

Some of the key recommendations go hand-in-hand with CEC’s New Energy Direction, Blueprint for Santa Barbara County, including expanding energy efficiency programs, and increasing renewable energy projects. The State is also recommending improved standards for cars and fuel, and targeting funds to support a long-term commitment to AB 32. ARB is soliciting public comments, which will be incorporated into the final scoping plan this fall