Thank you to Moiz Mir for sharing these updates from Sunrise Sacramento, 350 Sacramento, and the Sacramento Climate Coalition. Language from these updates has been borrowed for this piece.
Updates from the County of Sacramento!
Report back from Sunrise Sacramento:
On October 25th Sacramento County’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) was sent to the Sac County Board of Supervisors. It’s worth noting that the plan is moving to the BOS WITHOUT the recommendation of the Sacramento County Planning Commission. The 4 commissioners that were present could not agree (the 5th commissioner was absent). They did attempt to pass the plan as is, but the vote failed 2-2 (3 votes in agreement are needed). Because they didn’t push the item to the next commission meeting it will now be heard by the County, in January at the earliest.
Report back from 350 Sacramento:
A big thank you to their volunteers and members for voicing their disappointment in the draft CAP and for sending in over 800 statements to be reviewed by the County.
What happens next at the County?
Report back from the Sacramento Climate Coalition (SCC)":
The SCC is asking for our help to build a campaign to push the Sac County BOS to adopt a community-wide carbon neutrality strategy by 2030. The draft (mentioned above) that the Planning Commission forwarded to the BOS on October 25th contained a Strategy Option that would achieve zero carbon emission by 2030. We need to ensure that a majority of the Board will support this Strategy Option when the item is heard. Please send an email to your Supervisor and ask them to support Strategy Option 2: community wide carbon neutrality.
What happened at the City?
Report back from 350 Sacramento:
Your voice was heard! The Sac City Council acknowledged the lack of ambition in the original CAAP 2045 planning. Now, council members and staff will work with the community on a 2030 emissions reduction scenario! Well done. Council also directed staff to prepare a workshop in early 2022 on transportation. The Mayor made it clear that his office and other Council members would engage with the city staff and community in crafting the workshop.
For reference: The city is currently operating on a 2045 emissions reductions timeline, which is mandated by the state of CA, but which is inconsistent with the city's (nonbinding) 2030 climate emergency declaration resolution, passed in 2019.
Preventing and mitigating even worsening impacts of the climate crisis is contingent upon cutting global emissions within this decade
What else has been going on?
COP26: March for Stolen Lives
Climate justice activists met at 11am at 100 Waterfront Place on Oct. 22nd, West Sacramento to demand real climate leadership from all levels. At the time, United Nations’ COP26 climate talks had been fast approaching, and 350 Sacramento and allies went out to demand that:
Governor Newsom STOP new fossil fuel permits, DROP existing oil drilling, and ROLL out 2,500 ft. health and safety buffers.
The California Democratic Party must vote no to accepting money from fossil fuel companies and law enforcement.
CalSTRS, the teachers’ pension fund, must divest $6 billion from fossil fuel companies.
Congress and Biden must stop approving fossil fuel projects and declare a climate emergency.
In honor of the stolen lives of Black, Indigenous, people of color to police violence and environmental racism, and the stolen futures of the youth and unborn from the climate crisis, these activists called for climate justice and real climate leadership from all levels.
350 Sac supported legislation signed/vetoed by Newsom:
SIGNED! AB 1346 (Berman) requires CARB to require zero-emission small engines, such as lawn and garden equipment. CARB has already begun that effort, constituting a part of the electrification 350 Sacramento has pushed for in many settings;
SIGNED! SB 372 (Leyva) is a practical proposal to finance medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks. It creates a program within the State Treasurer’s Office to consolidate and improve various programs as well.
SIGNED! SB 596 (Becker) would require CARB, by December 31, 2022, to develop a comprehensive strategy for California’s cement and concrete sector to reduce the carbon intensity of concrete used in the state by at least 40% from 2019 levels by 2030 and to achieve carbon neutrality as soon as possible, but no later than 2045. The bill would require the state board, in developing the strategy, among other things, to identify modifications to existing measures and evaluate new measure, including a low-carbon product standard for concrete or cement, to achieve those objectives.
VETOED AB 416 (Kalra), which creates a deforestation-free procurement standard for State purchases. The bill applies not just to wood, but other products (such as palm oil) that could contribute to deforestation
What’s coming up?
Climate Coffee - Second Sundays: Sunday, October 10, from 10:00-11:30a or noon. William Land Park. Contact Rupert for details at rhazle@runbox.com. Everyone welcome!
350.org Skill Up Trainings - for Oct-Dec.
Fight Back Fridays @ Robert Matsui Courthouse - More