Tag Archives: Climate Crisis

In Landmark Climate Ruling, European Court Faults Switzerland

By Isabella Kwai and Emma Bubola | April 9, 2024 | The New York Times

Experts said it was the first time an international court determined that governments were legally obligated to meet their climate targets under human rights law.

…

“It is the first time that an international court has affirmed clearly that a climate crisis is a human rights crisis,” said Joie Chowdhury, a senior lawyer with the Center for International Environmental Law, an international group that voiced its support for KlimaSeniorinnen’s case.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/09/world/europe/climate-human-rights.html

The Sacramento region has approved too much sprawl already; a reckoning is here

By Tom Philp | March 6, 2024 | The Sacramento Bee

The politics of the Sacramento region have long been fueled by its expansion, with land speculators, developers, builders and trade unions funding political campaigns. But the extraordinary power of this political bloc needs to be checked before they cost the region hundreds of millions of dollars in state funding and blow up Sacramento’s climate goals.

Click here to read the full article: https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/article285860766.html#storylink=cpy

Related to inhibiting sprawl, SACOG is tasked with developing a new 25-year housing plan that lowers GHG emissions in Sacramento’s six-county region. The Land Use and Natural Resources Committee of SACOG will receive important new information on the region’s future housing demand on March 7, 2024. To watch a recording of the meeting, go to https://www.sacog.org/meetings/meeting-agendas; Advanced Search – insert meeting date, then see Item History.

Sacramento County Climate Action Plan: ECOS Comments, Jan 2024

On January 31, 2024, ECOS submitted a letter to Todd Smith, Planning Director of Sacramento County Planning and Environmental Review, regarding the Notice of Preparation of a Subsequent Environmental Impact Report and Public Scoping Meeting for the Sacramento County Climate Action Plan.

ECOS offers two comments on the subject document, summarized below. Please see our letter for supporting information.

  1. The Climate Action Plan (CAP) and SEIR should be complete, that is, they should show how carbon neutrality will be achieved in the County in whatever year the County believes is realistic.
  2. We know that land use and transportation are the keys to GHG emissions reduction. Therefore, the CAP and SEIR should include alternatives or scenarios showing three levels and locations of development – mostly greenfield, some greenfield/some infill, and mostly infill – similar the SACOG’s three Pathways for our region that were discussed by the jurisdictions last summer.

Click here to read the letter in full.

Sacramento County doesn’t postpone 2030 climate goal — for now

Kristin Lam | July 12, 2023 | Capital Public Radio

The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday didn’t postpone a carbon neutrality goal after dozens of climate activists pushed back against proposed changes.

County staff had recommended the board change the goal from 2030 to no later than 2045 in order to match state plans, make the timeline more achievable and reduce the risk of lawsuits.

Instead of approving or rejecting the suggested update, the board asked staff to present another version of the climate emergency declaration in late September or early October. In a 3-1 vote, with Supervisor Sue Frost abstaining, the board requested revisions including adding a requirement to measure progress on reducing emissions every five years.

Click here to read or listen to the full article.

Sacramento County Climate Emergency Resolution Update – Outcome

On July 11, 2023, the Sacramento County Planning and Environmental Review staff presented a recommendation to the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors to amend the Climate Emergency Resolution to be consistent with the State’s 2045 carbon neutrality goal.

You can watch a recording of the July 11 Sac County Board of Supervisors meeting here: https://agendanet.saccounty.gov/BoardOfSupervisors/Meetings/ViewMeeting?id=7961&doctype=1. The Climate Emergency Resolution Update presentation (Item 72) starts at 6 hours into the video.

Read a summary of the outcome by Capital Public Radio here: Sacramento County doesn’t postpone 2030 climate goal — for now.