Success! Oakland’s 2030 Equitable Climate Action Plan Passes Unanimously!

The ECAP identifies areas of climate change vulnerability and mitigation in many arenas of life in Oakland including transportation, housing, buildings, consumption and waste. Each section includes actions that should be taken by the city, often in collaboration with partner organizations such as East Bay Community Energy. Prioritizing actions in communities most impacted by environmental and economic racism is a theme that runs through all sections.

 

Perhaps the most notable aspect of the 2030 ECAP is the breadth and depth of the community engagement that guided the equity aspects of the plan. That process was facilitated by the Oakland Climate Action Coalition (OCAC) and E/J Solutions, an Oakland-based consultant on environmental justice law and policy. Working in coordination with many different community organizations including the East Oakland Neighborhoods Initiative, workshops were held in every council district to get feedback directly from community members on the kinds of policies and projects to address climate change that they want to see in their communities. Over 400 people attended those workshops, which resulted in a prioritized list of 25 different actions. 

 

Other outreach events included interviews with various stakeholders, including technical experts, an online survey, two town halls and several different youth-oriented workshops and listening sessions. All-in all over 2100 Oaklanders had their voices heard in the process of plan formation.

 

The other standout feature of the 2030 ECAP is the Racial Equity Indicators Assessment Implementation Guide. For each action described in the ECAP, this tool identifies relevant existing inequities and suggestions for how to mitigate those inequities. The REIA also provides important background information on identifying Oakland’s frontline communities and the cumulative impact of historic racism and increasing climate change disasters. It describes key performance indicators that should be tracked in most impacted communities to keep the equitable implementation of the ECAP on track. The REIA stresses and elaborates on reasons for guiding all ECAP actions.

 

The ECAP also includes the formation of an Oakland Climate Action Network (OCAN) to continue community leadership and oversight in implementation of the ECAP. LCEA celebrates the hard work that went into putting the equity into the ECAP and will continue to support this important  be climate justice effort.

 

Now that the Oakland City council has approved the ECAP and REIA, the next step will be to secure funding for establishing the OCAN and the many innovative programs that could increase community resilience, health and economic welfare. 

 

Local Clean Energy Alliance celebrates the successful passage of this equitable climate action plan and the racial equity indicators tool to guide implementation, and will continue to support this effort.