In the coming months, ClimatePlan will be spotlighting work led by our partner organizations in our five priority regions: Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay Area, the San Joaquin Valley, Southern California, and San Diego. Regional partners will share their challenges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the inertia of car-centric infrastructure, environmental justice, conservation, and housing. Through shared stories, we believe our partners will connect and learn different strategies and tools to face the challenges in their communities. Our first regional blog focuses on San Diego, where advocates are facing challenges to shift spending away from highways and roads.
 

San Diego County is on the precipice of a transportation revolution. After spending years embroiled in controversy, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) seems to be ditching their perennial philosophy of endless freeway expansion for a holistic, green, and more equitable public transportation system that would set the bar high for California and beyond.

The status quo approach to housing and development in California doesn’t work. Housing is too expensive and commutes are too long; climate pollution is growing and natural landscapes are suffering. Instead of limiting growth to sprawl, we need new investment and focused development in infill areas. However, with investment comes change. Coupled with infill, we need nuanced policy that protects and directs benefits to the Californians already living and working in these communities. Families, students, seniors—all Californians and especially the most vulnerable—need be protected from displacement. No one should be forced out of their home by arbitrary evictions and egregious rent increases—especially if rising costs are an indirect result of new development incentivized by public policy. That’s why ClimatePlan is proud to support the Keep Families Home package, including AB 36 (Bloom), AB 1481 (Bonta), and AB 1482 (Chiu).

We are thrilled to release our newest platform: ClimatePlan’s Commitment to Investment without Displacement. A broad base of ClimatePlan partners worked together to develop a shared goal and set of nine principles to help ensure that investment benefits residents—especially renters, low-income people of color, and other vulnerable populations—and does not displace them.

The California Air Resources Board recently reported that although the state has already met its 2020 goals, California is not on track to meet the 2030 climate goals. Emissions from the transportation sector is increasing despite successful advances in fuel efficiency and vehicle electrification. Why? Because the amount of driving is increasing. With the high cost of housing near jobs and few other options than to drive, Californians are being forced to spend more time in their cars.

On February 15th, 2019, ClimatePlan hosted a special presentation for our network partners on the 4th National Climate Assessment, a critically important analysis of potential climate change impacts and steps that can be taken to avoid or reduce associated risks. Dr. Fred Lipschultz presented an overview of the National Climate Assessment, the California Climate Assessment, and participated in a question and answer session following the briefing.