The vision of the Yolo County Climate Compact (Climate Compact) has evolved in tandem with its history. It began with a concern of the Yolo County Board of Supervisors that climate change was a serious issue that needed to be addressed at all levels, including local government. Yolo County was at the forefront of efforts by cities and counties to map out programs and policies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.  

The Yolo County Board of Supervisors, at a meeting in the Fall of 2007, discussed a proposal to establish a committee to advise the Board on policies and potential actions related to climate change.  A decision was taken to first reach out and invite input from other jurisdictions as well as residents within the county. 

A “Climate Change Summit” was convened on December 17, 2007 with Yolo County Supervisor Matt Rexroad presiding and with approximately 45 representatives from the Cities of Davis, Woodland, Winters, and West Sacramento; the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation; the University of California, Davis; the Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District; the Yolo Housing Authority; the Yolo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District; the Winters Joint Unified School District; the Woodland Joint Unified School District; Esparto Unified; the Davis Joint Unified School District; the Yolo County Office of Education; and additional participants from Yolo County. 

Discussions continued of a resolution governing bodies could adopt to enter into a "compact" committing their jurisdiction to an overall plan to reduce GHGs. The chosen plan was widely used and promoted by the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI). The ICLEI plan set fourth four basic steps which set the vision for what became the Climate Compact. These steps consisted of:

• Creating an inventory of governmental (operational) energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions, and;
• Establishing a goal of reducing energy usage and GHGs by an identified percentage with a goal year, and;
• Developing a plan to meet these goals and targets, and;
• Implementing policies, programs, and operations to carry out the plan, including regular monitoring of progress towards the goals, and adjustment as necessary to meet the targets.

This resolution was adopted by vote of the governing bodies mentioned above. The Climate Compact has continued to meet regularly throughout the decades, serving as a forum for presentations and for the exchange of ideas. Over the more than 15 years of this group, the benefits of cross-pollination of ideas and spreading of policies and programs from one jurisdiction to another has been beyond tangible.