DRIVING CHANGE THROUGH BAY AREA CLIMATE ADVOCACY
Our Bay Area Chapter is made up of seven policy action squads, focused on moving the needle on policy issues we care about. Issues that county groups have chosen to tackle include EV adoption and building electrification.
We have some great news to share from two of the squads—San Francisco and Contra Costa County.
San Francisco County
Several members of our San Francisco policy action squad worked on the all-electric new construction ordinance campaign for over a year, working together with the San Francisco Climate Emergency Coalition. In early November, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to pass this ordinance!
This was an extremely historic and influential ordinance to pass to help quickly transition communities away from natural gas. The ordinance enforces newly constructed buildings to be all electric starting June 1, 2021.
This ordinance will serve as a model for other communities around the state and country to steer away from fossil fuels in buildings. A key part of the planning took workers into account to ensure jobs for the future.
Contra Costa County
Our Contra Costa County policy action squad actively supported a coalition of groups pressing for a Climate Emergency Resolution. More than a dozen of our chapter members spoke up in support during the September Zoom Board session. We were the largest block of 40+ total public comments! The Contra Costa Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to adopt the resolution.
Climate Reality Leaders provided both live and written testimony on specific directives. A few examples from our team are listed below:
There is no denying that our planet is warming. We must act quickly to ‘bend down the curve’ and avoid the worst consequences. I ask that the Board include a specific date in the resolution of when the Climate Action Plan will be written.
The future of the Bay Area for our children is at stake. We are already seeing the consequences of a warming planet here in Contra Costa County, including a frightening wildfire season driven by drought and high winds. I ask that the Board include a commitment to discuss this in every one of your staff reports. We must keep this issue at the forefront of all of our decisions.
Fossil fuel extraction and refining here in Contra Costa County is an important industry, employing thousands. We must ensure a just transition for those families, as we reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and phase out those industries in the years ahead. I ask that the Board include a commitment and a date to develop a Green Economic Recovery Plan by the first quarter of 2021.
If you are interested in getting involved with your local policy action squad, please scroll down and click on your respective county link.