My name is Nancy Roberts
and I’m writing as a member of Extinction Rebellion SF Bay
Area. I moved to California in 1999 from the East Coast and have
never looked back. I am proud of our
state’s environmental leadership and I am desperate to see it
continue.
I hold a
Green MBA degree and as a communications professional I specialize
in environmental behavior change. In my work I see how difficult it
is for people to accept change, especially bold
change. No matter how beneficial, most people, even
experts like yourselves, view change as something to fear or avoid.
But now is not the time to be fearful. The climate crisis is
here, it is happening, and if we do not act boldly, it will only
get worse.
Half
measures and incrementalism are not going to cut it. Inordinate
faith in vaporware -- technological advances that have not
materialized -- is dangerous. This will not be easy or pleasant,
but ambitious changes we make now as a state will prevent a world
of pain later on.
An 80% reduction in emissions by 2045 is
TOO LATE. This is
kicking the can down the road and it has to
stop.
Your recommended Alternative Three aims to have the least
impact on the economy. This does not acknowledge the complex and
terrifying impact that the climate catastrophe is going to have on
our economy. Insufficient, untimely action is the most damaging
course of action the board could choose.
I am
asking this body to step up and lead: Alternative One is a decent
start; Three is not. Begin with One, and make it bolder while
striving for a just transition that supports all communiities, but
especially the frontline communities that have borne the brunt of
harm from the pollution that we have been emitting up to
now.
Please
take the lead so we can continue to be proud of California,
together.
Thank
you.