By Francine Busby
I’m no scientist. But you don’t have be an expert to acknowledge climate change and start doing something about it.
Let’s begin with some facts.
The average temperature of the earth is rising drastically, primarily because of greenhouse gas emissions. Globally, 2014 was the hottest year on record, and 2015 is on pace to break the record yet again. Climate change puts lives and national security at risk and costs taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars per year.
We are certainly feeling the impact of climate change in California, where severe drought has left entire towns without running water, has extended the length of fire season, and is hurting our agricultural industry.
As rainstorms become less frequent and more extreme, we’ve seen an increase of floods that threaten lives and destroy infrastructure. As the Washington Post put it, we now burn and flood at the same time.
California has taken meaningful steps to address these problems. We have cut carbon emissions in our power sector by 8 percent since 2008 while increasing energy generation by 74 percent in the same period. We have instituted cap-and-trade and created 46,169 renewable energy projects.
Studies show that San Diego is particularly susceptible to the effects of climate change. Even the Department of Defense is studying the issue due to our strategic importance to the United States military. The Pentagon has also made the reduction of the use of fossil fuels a priority.
The City of San Diego, Port of San Diego, and San Diego County Water Authority have adopted Climate Action Plans that will not only help fight climate change, but create jobs and boost the economy. In July, the San Diego Unified School District, the second largest school district in the state, voted to adopt a plan calling for 100 percent renewable energy by 2035.
Unfortunately, progress is lagging at the County of San Diego. A court struck down the County’s Climate Action Plan because it did not meet state standards. The plan failed to reduce greenhouse gases or provide a means to implement required changes. County leaders did not take climate change seriously and tried to kick the can down the road.
But the road is ending. As the climate trends become more extreme, unincorporated areas in the county will be more exposed to the ravages of wild fires. Rural cities and towns will be undermined by more frequent flash floods. Agricultural farms will continue to adjust to more water restrictions and lower crop yields. Ultimately they may eventually be displaced. Miles and miles of coastal development and ecosystems will be destroyed by sea level rise.
We need a Climate Action Plan that provides specifics to reach tangible goals on multiple fronts. The plan is a blueprint to reduce emissions, create clean and renewable energy, make buildings water and energy efficient, increase mass transit and bikeable and walkable infrastructure, adopt a zero-waste policy, control storm water, implement brush management, foster urban food systems and plan for smart land use.
Such a plan would sustain economic viability for the region and protect the quality of life for residents of San Diego County. It would result in improved air quality and public health, increased water and food security, reduced damage from wildfires and floods, protection of natural ecosystems and critical infrastructure, and better emergency response preparedness. And its implementation would create thousands of jobs.
While climate change is a global problem, many of the solutions are local. We can’t afford denial or delay. Isn’t San Diego worth it?
Francine Busby is chair of the San Diego County Democratic Party.
