Dear Gov. Newsom and California Air
Resources Board,
As a young person
concerned about my future in a state that is currently being
ravaged by the impacts of climate change - from wildfires to
droughts to sea-level rise - I truly question whether I'll be able
to remain in this state that I call home.
The impacts of climate
change are here NOW and they're only going to worsen. These impacts
are already costing Californians their lives, and if we continue to
do nothing to mitigate the fossil fuel pollution that causes the
climate ciris, they will claim even more.
That the California Air
Resources Board would be seriously considering a near-zero gas
emissions by 2045 is astounding, given the clear science that
dictates we must curb emissions by 2030 if we have any hope of
remaining under 1.5 degrees of warming (which is already locking in
climate change that is going to be devastating for our state and
communities).
I urge you to revise the
California Air Resources Board’s climate scoping plan so that
it meets the scale and urgency of the climate crisis and
environmental racism here in California.
– Establish a target of near-zero gas emissions by
2035. Retaining the grossly inadequate target of “carbon
neutrality” by 2045 is a recipe for disaster, and it would
cause further delay we can’t afford.
– Rapidly phase out fossil fuel production and
transition to 100% clean renewable electricity by 2030. This must
include rejecting all new fossil fuel infrastructure NOW, an
immediate halt to drilling permits, and decommissioning oil wells
within 3200 feet of sensitive locations.
– Invest in public transit and move to 100% electric
new car sales by 2030 and 100% electric trucks by 2035. Stop all
new gas appliance sales by 2025 and invest in supporting the
transition off gas.
– Reject all industry scams that lock in pollution and
promote environmental injustice. This includes carbon capture,
hydrogen, trading, offsets, and factory farm biogas. Every
dollar we waste on these industry scams is a dollar taken from
communities and efforts to facilitate a real transition away from
dirty energy sources — which are causing climate change
intensified disasters like wildfires, flooding and droughts, while
polluting our communities.
Please support sustainable land practices and environmental
justice in the transition. Taking these bold actions would provide
a model for other states to follow. And it would show the country
and the world that California is ready to lead us back from the
climate cliff and toward a sustainable, livable future. We’re
counting on your leadership.