PREVIOUSLY:

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The Regional Climate Action Plan is finally complete. Now we need to implement it. To do so will demand a change in how local governments conceive of their mission, both integrating decarbonization in all parts of their existing work and adding new tasks to reduce emissions and plan for more resilient communities. It will require breaking out of ordinary silos and working together, as jurisdictions, to accomplish big things. Making big changes like this requires political courage. Thankfully we have that.

To coordinate cross-jurisdictional climate action, the plan calls for the creation of a Climate Program Manager. The person selected for this position would be in charge of convening a Regional Climate Committee, implementing the plan, and writing an annual progress report on said implementation. It’s important for there to be a singular person who is accountable for progress on the plan and who will help local jurisdictions work together to ensure the plan’s success. This position must be paid for jointly and proportionally by each of Humboldt’s separate local jurisdictions.

Despite facing a budget deficit, the Redwood Coast Energy Authority has volunteered to host this position and contribute both funding and oversight to the new Climate Program Manager. Redwood Coast Energy Authority makes sense as the local agency to house this regional position. RCEA is an agency already deeply invested in climate action, from pushing to decarbonize buildings, to reducing emissions from transportation, to sourcing clean, renewable energy for our community.

But nothing good can come easy. City managers balked at contributing to this shared position, expressing that their own budgets left them without room to contribute. Thankfully, the Arcata and Eureka City Councils demonstrated their commitment to climate action, expressly funding the Climate Program Manager position. In addition to our two largest cities, Humboldt County has pledged to contribute its fair share too. The County, Arcata, Eureka, and RCEA deserve our recognition and appreciation for stepping up with their contributions at this critical time.

Smaller jurisdictions, from Fortuna to Trinidad, must commit to funding the position as well. While their proportional contribution will be small, the benefits will be large. There are also other reasons to make sure they participate. Funding is not just about paying for the position, it’s a declaration of importance and cooperation. It’s putting skin in the game.

The Regional Climate Action Plan isn’t perfect, but it is important. With the retreat of the Trump Administration, state and local governments need to be the drivers of climate action. As the plan reflects, local governments have influence over most of our local climate emissions. And many of the plan’s implementation measures will have other local co-benefits besides greenhouse gas reduction, such as improved public health, better indoor and outdoor air quality, and economic development.

Tom Wheeler,
Executive Director, EPIC

Colin Fiske,
Executive Director, CRTP