August 17, 2021For Immediate Release Contact: Isa Flores-Jones, isa@caleja.orgNeena Mohan, neena@caleja.orgIPCC Report Shows Urgent Need to Zero Out Fossil Fuels, Reduce Direct EmissionsLawmakers, regulators must invest in community climate resilience and fossil fuel phaseoutAugust 17, 2021 – Last week, the UN Intergovernmental Report on Climate Change (IPCC) published their new Sixth Assessment Report. The … Read More
This year, CEJA has been redefining environmental justice in California. One of our legislative priorities, AB 1628 by Assemblymember Robert Rivas, enhances the state’s definition of environmental justice to include the “meaningful involvement” of all people in environmental or land use decisions. AB 1628 would recognize the health, dignity and agency of all people, promoting the environmental health and quality of life that everyone deserves.
The environmental justice community knows that the most effective climate policies reduce pollution at the source, at the industries in our neighborhoods. CEJA opposes false promises of carbon trading and offsets because these programs don't cut our fossil fuel dependence and instead concentrates pollution in hot spots in EJ communities. We are working for real climate solutions that will truly reduce fossil fuel emissions, but we know schemes like carbon offsets distract us from realizing our climate targets.
California’s newest solar program for low-income renters, the Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing (SOMAH) program, will bring $1 billion in rooftop solar to low-income renters over 10 years. It is the nation’s biggest solar program for low-income renters in history and the first one to direct a majority of the savings created through use of solar energy directly back to the utility bills of renters.
In order to transform our state's most overburdened and under-resourced communities, the TCC guidelines must be set up to achieve success. We are working with our members to advocate for a strong, transparent, and community-led process and recently released a report on our community vision and principles. With a strong community-led vision at the heart of the TCC program, we can begin to see innovative transformation in EJ communities.
Climate change is impacting all of California, but hits low-income communities and communities of color first and worst. The next phase California’s climate leadership and innovation depends on placing environmental justice principles at the core of climate policy to ensure we are addressing critical air quality issues related to cap & trade in EJ communities. Read these powerful stories of residents on the frontlines of climate change.
Oxnard’s low-income Latino and immigrant families have borne the burden of pollution for too long. It’s time for Oxnard to have the clean air and clean energy they deserve. We urge the California Energy Commission to stop making Oxnard the sacrifice zone.
Our partners at Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability are leading community-based efforts in Fresno, which has an opportunity to model what the TCC program could look like for the rest of the state by working with residents to ensure these new investments reach the most impacted neighborhoods.
These victories of SB 32 and AB 197 demonstrate the truth to what environmental and climate justice groups have been saying for several years: to be successful, and to win on climate, we must address the impacts on communities of color.
Check out photos and videos from an incredible day of workshops, panels, and strategy sessions to explore intersections between Green Zones and Just Transition, share ideas for strengthening and expanding Green Zones across the state, and continue building the statewide movement for #HealthyHoods.
