Climate Action
Climate change is happening and humans are causing it. The likelihood for extreme droughts and downpours is increasing. Crops yields are dropping and fires are burning cities. You have probably already noticed that your own local ecosystem is different than it was when you were a child and you're right, 2018 was by far the warmest year on record in the U.S., more than 3 degrees above the 20th century average.
The climate is impacted at the local level with land use changes that require energy and water. Regions and cities play an important role in taking leadership on the local level for energy, waste and water. We as individuals and our local, state and federal governments are making choices that affect how much climate-altering gases our daily activities produce. The Loma Prieta Chapter is a leader in the climate action movement and we have a number of ways you can get involved in the local climate action movement.
Climate Action Plans - We are writing comments and engaging ciites in their climate action plans to ensure that goals are targets and met. Most cities are updating their plans because of SB379 and SB1000. Join us to get a great Climate Action Plan in your city.
Climate Emergency - Recent climate news brings new emphasis to the urgency with which greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions must be reduced and atmospheric carbon must be sequestered. This news included the October 8, 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) special report on the impacts of global warming, the U.S. Global Research Program’s Fourth National Climate Assessment, the California Air Resources Board November 2018 Progress Report: California’s Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act, California’s SB 32 requiring GHG emissions to be reduced to 40% below current levels by 2030, and Governor Brown’s 2018 Executive Order B-55-18 requiring that California “achieve carbon neutrality as soon as possible, and no later than 2045 and maintain net negative emissions thereafter”. For more info please see the article posted on Sierra Club California’s website at (https://www.sierraclub.org/california/cnrcc/ecc-support-climate-emergency-actions).
Loma Prieta hosted a summit of world class experts on the topic of wildfires on Saturday, Sept. 14 at the College of San Mateo. We are asking cities to stop building in the Wildlands Urban Interface's Very High Fire Hazard Zone. If you need help in your city contact us.
Advocate for Livable, Walkable Communities - Working with local teams of local residents, we advocate for livable, walkable communities with easy access to public transit. Since transportation is the region's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, reducing our dependence on cars is essential for fighting climate change. Join with others in your local city to advocate for local government action to reduce our future greenhouse gas emissions and make our local communities environmentally-friendly while improving our quality of life. Join a local Climate Action team.