United Latinos is a proud contributor to 350 Sacramento‘s newly-released 2023 Climate Report Card. This report features in-depth analysis of Sacramento’s progress towards climate action recommendations, input from local organizations, and more. Below are some notable quotes featured in the report from 350 Sacramento and United Latinos organizers. Read the rest here.
United Latino’s Richard Falcon on Climate Equity:
I can see the success in bringing people to the table, but what good does it do to bring them to the table if they are not allowed to eat? When we have brought recommendations to improve equity in transit or climate adaptation to the city, especially for the communities and businesses of most need, the answer is crickets. We see this as part of a larger trend in how the city deals with issues of equity. When I was on the Police Review Commission, it was the same story. They listened but did not hear the cries of the community.”
Richard Falcon, Lead Organizer, United Latinos
350 Sacramento’s Kate Wilkins on city recommendations:
In 2020, a commission convened by Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg and then-West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon issued ambitious recommendations to get the cities to carbon zero by 2045. The Final Report of the Mayors’ Commission on Climate Change — which culminated from a thorough, 18-month process guided by experts — made urgent calls for expansion of electrification, greater access to green space, easier access to affordable active and public transit, and more.
Three years on, Sacramento is not moving with anywhere near the necessary urgency to tackle carbon emissions or adapt our city to a new climate reality. The 350 Sacramento Climate Report Card for the city of Sacramento, assesses how the city’s climate action — and inaction — compares to commission recommendations.
The report draws on feedback from 14 community organizations engaged in climate justice and climate action work at the city level. While not an official effort by Sacramento (or West Sacramento), the commission was meant to inform their climate goals and actions — including Sacramento’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP.) A draft CAAP is slated for release in late April 2023, years behind schedule.
City leaders have made bold statements about climate action. In 2019, Sacramento City Council committed to “maximum feasible efforts to implement emergency-speed carbon reduction actions towards eliminating emissions by 2030” in a Climate Emergency Declaration. A 2022 press release talks about “transforming” the city’s approach to transportation. Also last year, Mayor Darrell Steinberg called to make city buildings all-electric.
The image the city portrays does not reflect reality on the ground.
The council’s actions and budget do not reflect that addressing climate change is a priority, nor has the council demonstrated accountability for responding to the climate crisis. Council members have not publicly engaged staff regarding progress, delays, or resources needed to reach carbon zero, nor have they provided staff with clear direction.
The CAAP, Urban Forest Master Plan, and roadmap for electrifying existing buildings are all delayed. These are crucial guides for eliminating greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate impacts. The preliminary draft CAAP calls for several more staff in the Office of Climate Action and Sustainability and $3.2 billion in funding and financing for climate action over the next 20 years. The council has yet to address or acknowledge those needs.
The council remained silent on a 2022 ballot measure that promoted sprawl development. Measure A, which thankfully failed, as it would have locked the region into a car-dependent future and made reaching carbon zero all but impossible.
Climate change threatens our region with catastrophic extremes: Hotter weather, worse air quality, and greater likelihood of extreme precipitation. We already see inequitable impacts of extreme weather and pollution by race and class. Historically redlined neighborhoods are prone to higher flood risk. Intense storms and extreme heat waves can prove lethal for people who are unhoused. Low–income communities see worse air quality and greater heat island effects. Pollution from traffic and freeways and lack of trees and greenspace contribute to this, putting residents at higher risk for negative health outcomes.
Local action is critical for our quality of life, and meaningfully impacts emissions globally. Transportation and the built environment — top sources of emissions — are shaped by local policies. Expanding green transit and eliminating fossil-fueled appliances will reduce emissions. Aggressively planting and maintaining trees will provide cooling shade and improve air quality. These are just some changes we must make.
Sacramento has taken steps: The city requires new buildings to be all-electric, promotes infill development, and has leveraged federal funding to support local organizations combating food insecurity. These efforts deserve credit, but circumstances are dire, and “business as usual” is not enough to protect city residents from harsh impacts that we are already seeing.
This report card reflects 350 Sacramento’s best summation of input from community groups, as well as our own perspective. We hope it will help council members and city staff find a greater sense of urgency when it comes to finalizing, funding, and implementing plans for sweeping climate transformation. We hope it will help journalists and community advocates hold the city accountable for meeting climate action and adaptation needs.
The unfortunate truth is that the city must grapple with a problem of unprecedented scale and speed. The current approach leaves us woefully behind climate mitigation and adaptation goals, exposing residents and businesses to the worst impacts of climate change while failing to harness crucial opportunities to invest in programs and infrastructure. Our window to act on climate is rapidly narrowing. We have to transform our city now.
Kate Wilkins, Lead City Climate Volunteer, 350 Sacramento
United Latino’s Richard Falcon on Mobility:
“How do you prepare the small business owners who service gas vehicles for poorer families so their businesses do not close? Let’s be equitable and offer training and incentives for all. Let’s work around the barriers.”
Richard Falcon, Lead Organizer, United Latinos
