Take Action on Setting Targets

Staff has recommended a preliminary GHG reduction target of 36% below 2005 by 2020 to be used in the analysis of potential actions. The targets are going before Oakland's City Council on July 7th. Later this fall, they will go back to council with the final target recommendations as well as recommendations for measuring, monitoring, reporting back, and potentially annual targets. Clean energy advocates should start talking up the need for these additional aspects now.

Give Public Comment on July 7th
Please join us at Oakland City Hall for the July 7th Public Works Committee meeting. It starts at 6:30p and the item will proabbaly come up around 7:30p. We are going to meet up at 6:45p in front of City Hall. If you live in Oakland and are able, please do plan to come. People living in other cities are also encouraged to come in solidarity and to express their gratitude that Oakland is taking this on.

Email jeff@baylocalize.org to let us know you are coming and to get important updates on this action.

If you are unable to come, please email or call.

Email
For emails we strongly recommend that the Subject Line be something like "Support Aggressive Targets for Oakland Climate Action with Annual Minimum GHG Reduction". We think the best emails are short and original. It could be just several sentences borrowing from the talking points below and saying why it is important to you. On your email, please "cc:" both cityclerk@oaklandnet.com (so that it gets into the record) and dave@baylocalize.org so we can track the campaign.

Call
If you call, please email dave@baylocalize.org to let us know so we can track the campaign.

Talking Points:

• Public Works is to be commended for considering a preliminary target GHG reduction that would be among the most aggressive in the nation if adopted.
• Oakland's Climate Action Plan needs to have a comprehensive plan for measuring, monitoring, and reporting back progress towards goals. We suggest annual report backs.
• The GHG emission reduction goals need to updated based on an annual review of the latest science
• Most importantly, Oakland needs an annual minimum GHG emission reduction target. It's one thing to establish an aggressive target and quite another to make steady progress towards that target. We certainly don't want a situation where reductions are minimal in the early years with the expectation that most of the reductions will be achieved (e.g., through some new technology) towards the end of the period. We need an aggressive annual minimum GHG reduction target.

You could also send a fax or call the influencers and Oakland City Council.

* = Public Works Committee members