After returning from Glasgow this month, Michael Paparian will provide us with a report on the November 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26). Michael Paparian has served as Sierra Club California State Director, and as Executive Director of the California Pollution Control Financing Authority; he gave us a report after returning from the Paris Climate Accords in 2015.
Zoom Link to join meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81865377865 | Call-in: 1-669-900-6833
On October 12, 2021, the Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS) submitted our comments on City Council October 12, 2021 Agenda Item 23 – Climate Action Update Summary, City of Sacramento Draft Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, Sept 2021.
On October 8, 2021, ECOS sent our comments on the Sacramento County Climate Action Plan, Final Draft dated September 2021.
Click here to view the letter.
Also on October 8th, the day comments were due, ECOS and some of its allies held a press conference on the Climate Action Plan. Below are two photos from the press conference.
October 6, 2021
ECOS joined a number of other organizations that signed on to a letter requesting that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) conduct Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventories for all cities and counties in California. This statewide initiative would yield a multitude of benefits, which are listed in the letter.
Contact: Laurie Heller laurierivlinheller[at]gmail[dot]com (916) 505-2016
County of Sacramento’s Final Draft “Climate Action Plan”
The County of Sacramento released the long-awaited Final Draft Climate Action Plan (CAP), their blueprint to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and adapt to the devastating impacts from climate change.
YOU ARE INVITED TO A PRESS CONFERENCE at which local community organizers, environmental justice advocates, medical professionals, youth activists, business owners and environmental groups will address SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES in the County CAP.
WHAT: County of Sacramento Final Draft Climate Action Plan
WHEN: Friday, October 8, 2021 at 9:00 am
WHERE: Community Resource Project, Inc. @ the Louise Perez Resource Center, 3821 – 41st Ave, Sac. CA 95824
The CAP will have wide-ranging consequences for our region for decades.
This CAP ignores the urgency of climate change.
It relies too much on legislation and regional polices for the 2021-2030 period and defers needed changes in County’s internal operations and development practices to 2030-2050.
For the reductions it plans for 2021-2030, this CAP is weak on implementation and lacks evidence that it will work.
It streamlines sprawl development, which increases GHGs, especially from transportation, and pulls resources away from needed infill development.
A concrete prescriptive CAP is essential to a sustainable future with sufficient resources, a strong – and green – local economy, and quality of life for all community members.
LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS TO SPEAK:
CAP Lags behind Regional & State Plans to Reduce VMTs – Ralph Propper, Pres. ECOS (Environmental Council of Sacramento) rpropper47[at]icloud[dot]com
CAP Excludes Conservation of Valuable Open Space – Barbara Leary, Chair, Sierra Club –Sacramento Group barbaraleary[at]comcast[dot]net
County Process Streamlines Sprawl – Oscar Balaguer, CAP Team Co-chair, 350 Sacramento oscarbal[at]hotmail[dot]com
CAP Disregards Emergency Action to Address Climate Change – Jill Peterson, Local Issues Lead, Citizens Climate Lobby – Sacramento jillpz[at]yahoo[dot]com
COMMUNITY LEADERS TO SPEAK:
Nailah Pope-Harden, Exec. Director, Climate Plan: Cumulative Benefits of Statewide Climate Action. nailahph[at]gmail[dot]com
Gabby Trejo, SacACT: Environmental Justice Gabby[at]sacact[dot]org
Brandon Rose, Director, SMUD; SMUD’s 2030 Carbon Plan brandondrose[at]hotmail[dot]com
Ilonka Zlatar, Pres., 350 Sacramento; Urgent need for climate action & opportunities it affords. ilonka[dot]zlatar[at]350sacramento[dot]org
Steve Cohn, Pres., Breathe California-Sac. Region, and Founder, SacMoves; stevecohnsacramento[at]gmail[dot]com
Herman Barahona, Sac Environmental Justice Coalition; Air Pollution In Low Income Communities barahonaconsulting[at]gmail[dot]com
Faye Lessler, Sunrise Movement; faye[at]sustaining[dot]life
David Mogavero, Senior Partner, Mogavero Architects; Bd Member, Council of Infill Builders: County sprawl creates barriers to affordable communities. dmogavero[at]mogaveroarchitects[dot]com
Robert Rosenbaum, PhD., Climate Health Now; brose andbaum1[at]mac[dot]com
Luis Sanchez, CEO, Community Resource Project Inc.; Host luiss[at]communityresourceproject[dot]org
Time is running out for public engagement.
The 30-day Public Comment Period ends Oct 8, 2021. The CAP is scheduled for presentation at the COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION ON OCTOBER 18. The final step will be review and approval by the Board of Supervisors.
Community Action.
Residents should contact their County Supervisor NOW! to demand a serious Climate Action Plan to mitigate and adapt to climate change in Sacramento.
The Urgent Need to Act.
Climate change here. Extreme weather and natural disasters are affecting agriculture, recreation, industry, health, infrastructure and natural ecosystems in the Sacramento Valley. These impacts will accelerate during this century. The science is unequivocal: Bold, transformative action is needed now to drastically reduce emissions, and avoid even worse impacts from climate change.
All speakers are available for interview. Press conference recording available on request.
For more information visit SACRAMENTO COUNTY’S CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
IPCC’s Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis – Summary For Policymakers
By The Sacramento Bee Editorial Board | October 05, 2021 | The Sacramento Bee
While it remains to be seen what promises will be made — and likely broken — at the 26th annual UN Climate Change Conference in Scotland next month, you need not travel to Glasgow to see climate denialism in action. Sacramento County has that well in hand.
The latest version of the county’s Climate Action Plan, set to go before the Planning Commission and then the Board of Supervisors after public comment ends Friday, simply doesn’t live up to its name. Representatives of local environmental groups such as 350 Sacramento, the Environmental Council of Sacramento and the Citizens Climate Lobby of Sacramento say the long-awaited document falls far short of promises made more than 10 years ago.
U.S. Post: PO Box 1526, Sacramento, CA 95812