Civic and Community Engagement
The Frog will explore The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions by Heidi Roop in the first 100 days of 2024
In the first `100 days of 2024 we will explore 100 climate solutions that may “empower you to evaluate, engage, and act” to address on-going climate change as an individual on your terms.
Does your community have a climate action plan? Enlightened communities recognize the risks before them and devote time and energy to understand the potential impacts of climate change on their infrastructure and residents, and methodically sets down a plan to prepare for the envisioned future.
Take a look at how the city of St. Paul, MN approaches climate action.
Like any plan, a legitimate climate action plan articulates a framework for response and decision making based on a frank assessment of the risk from climate change. It includes not only mitigation, reducing emissions from various sources within the framework, but also adaptation including a concern and focused on disadvantaged populations that may bear the brunt of a changing climate.
Check to see if your favorite city has a climate action plan.
Your city might be asking for your opinion and input. And in term you should be vigilant that the plan makes sense and, more importantly, that the city is actually taking action to execute the plan. A 2020 Brookings Institute study found that while many city have plans for greenhouse gas reduction, as majority are not meeting their own targets.
Your location does not have a climate action plan? It is time to make your voice heard, along with like-minded citizens, to your elected officials to motivate them to make the resources available to establish and execute a viable plan. After a brief search, it looks like I may need to do more in my hometown. The good news is that the State of Minnesota offers resources for communities to develop their plan.
Be aware that climate action plans can be politically charged. Viewed not as framework for action against a legitimate threat, but as a tool by liberals to consolidate power (mostly by conservative climate change deniers). In 2017, for instance, nearly all references to climate change moments after Donald Trump was sworn into office, including President Obama’s Climate Action Plan that proposed a reduction in carbon emissions. Climate change did not reappear, according to the US Government, until the Biden administration in 2021.
And believe it will happen again in 2025 if Donald Trump is elected as President. Please review climate action reversal plan and other scary actions proposed in Project 2025, an “agenda prepared by and for conservatives who will be ready on Day One of the next Administration to save our country”.
Conservatives already have a plan for Trump’s second term.
The plan includes eliminating critical DOE functions like the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, reducing the focus on energy equity, diversity and inclusion, and conducting a “whole-of-government assessment and consolidation of science”. The good news is that Donald Trump will unlikely not have a united Congress to reverse legislation. However he can do considerable damage to the Department of Energy and other critical agencies through executive action.
As a reminder, Vote in Every Election.
Next Up: Climate Action in 2024 – Day 85: Contribute to Community Groups
Howard Creel
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Email: rescuethatfrog@gmail.com