Hurray for efforts to protect San Diego from pollution and climate-change hazards. (By Frank Sabatini Jr.)

San Diego Makes a Global A-List for Environmental Protections

By Frank Sabatini Jr.

From all the way across the pond, San Diego caught the attention of the London-based Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), a non-profit organization that helps cities, states and regions around the world assess and disclose the environmental impacts they make within their locales. Its project leaders recently awarded our fine city a coveted “A” rating for our outstanding efforts to reduce climate-warming pollution as well as for safeguarding its residents, businesses and infrastructure from modern-day climate hazards.

Nearly 1,000 cities worldwide submitted their data to the CDP for analysis and scoring. A mere 15 percent of the entrants made the A-list, with San Diego ranking at the top among other cities such as San Francisco; Denver; Florence, Italy; and Auckland, New Zealand. It is the third year in a row we’ve received the high honor.

A number of environmental-focused programs and initiatives factored into San Diego’s stellar performance. They include our Climate Action Plan enacted in 2022; the Bicycle Master Plan set forth in 2024; and the Coastal Resilience Master Plan, which aims for nature-based solutions in protecting communities and wildlife from rising sea levels.

The CDP says that 83 percent of cities across the planet face significant climate-related hazards from circumstances such as floods, droughts, extreme heat and fires.