Climate Protectors – Sonoma County California

To avert catastrophic climate change, all jurisdictions in Sonoma County must adopt and implement measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. Our mission is to help and ensure each community – and our County as a whole – accomplishes its greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction commitments, as outlined in the County’s Climate Action 2020 and Beyond plan, California’s SB32, and the international Paris Climate Agreement.

 


CASE STAGE: Well established and running
LOCATION: Sonoma County, California (USA)
POPULATION: 500,000
TRANSITION CONNECTION: Yes (partnership with Local Initiative and/or Transition Hub)
GOVERNANCE: Not Defined


 

To avert catastrophic climate change, all jurisdictions in Sonoma County must adopt and implement measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. Our mission is to help and ensure each community — and our County as a whole — accomplishes its greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction commitments, as outlined in the County’s Climate Action 2020 and Beyond plan, California’s SB32, and the international Paris Climate Agreement.

Objectives:

  1. To increase climate action literacy and awareness throughout Sonoma County, including:
    • ourselves (humble volunteers, learning from one another)
    • our elected officials and their staff
    • businesses
    • civic groups (non-profits, churches, clubs, etc.)
    • residents
    • visitors
  1. Build decision-maker and local ally relationships [3]
  2. Influence policies at the county level and with local city councils [1]
  3. Enable and effect significant actions by leaders, businesses, and the public.

Methods:

  • Nonpartisan, constructive community engagement
  • Stimulating speakers, films, marches, and festivals
  • Promiscuous partnerships (don’t supplant or reinvent any wheels)
  • ‘Team of Teams’ (snowflake) coordination
  • Eschew grants or other funding that may create potential conflicts of interests
  • Proactive fact-based policy proposals and data-rich analyses (don’t criticize without a better, feasible solution)

Successes to Date (since our founding on 10/10/10):

  • Recruited 24 trainees to initial launch training, including 3 elected officials. Now >750 email subscribers in our local valley (45,000 pop.)
  • Hosted >60 public awareness raising events: http://bit.ly/2y8FGSu
  • Convinced City (10,000 pop.) to double local GHG reduction commitments, add dedicated climate staff,  and switch city accounts to 100% renewable electricity
  • Based on success at city-level (2016), now partnering with local Sierra Club, Democrats, and other groups to scale up for countywide impact (500,000 pop.)
  • Supported successful precedent-setting CEQA lawsuit that prevents County from using climate action plan to streamline new tourism and winery projects
  • Convinced our US Congressman to join Climate Solutions Caucus
  • Finalizing local community rights ballot initiative (with celdf.org)

 


DOMAINSFood and agriculture. Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, Town planning, Urbanism and Housing, Transportation, Education, Raising awareness about sustainability, climate change, healthy living, environmental issues, etc., Participatory Democracy and Planning, Economy, Waste management, Water management, Industry and manufacturing, Community work, Systemic Change (not focused on particular projects), Adaptation to climate disruption

BENEFICIARIES: Children, Teenagers (13 – 17), Young adults (18 – 24), Adults (25 – 65), Elders (65+), Families, People with disabilities, Ethnic or Social Minorities, LGBTQ+, General, nonhuman beneficiaries

 


 

MiT noteThe “climate protectors” is a well structured collaboration in terms of promoting climate action, both from public and governments, with 7 years of experience. Interesting for phase 2 (as a tool) and suitable for pilot. Under the challenge of scaling-up.

Contact

Tom Conlon

editor@transitionsonomavalley.org

Website