Time for a Positive Vision of America’s Environment

Restore and Respect America the Beautiful

With the Trump Administration attacks on climate science, renewable energy, research, power plan emissions standards, EVs, national monuments, and pretty much anything that smacks of environmental protection, it is not surprising that most responses from the environmental community and the Democratic party have been to defend the status quo.

The defensive posture has resulted in a perceived lack of vision or alternative.  With that in mind, here’s a pretty straight-forward set of actions and principles.  You may have some different elements or quibbles, but it feels like time to remind people that we can build on 60 years of environmental action rather than rip it apart.  We really don’t need to return to the polluted past.  What if the alternative agenda looks a bit like this top 10:

  1. Protect and maintain wildlands and national parks and monuments for all
  2. Reduce electricity prices by
    1. Supporting cheap and clean wind and solar, including on federal land and offshore
    2. Funding clean energy research
    3. Building a national energy grid
    4. Promoting bidirectional charging from EVs for grid stability
  3. Ensure safe drinking water
    1. Focusing on toxic hotspots like Flint, MI
    2. End forever chemicals
  4. Reduce fossil fuel pollution
    1. Stop methane emissions
    2. Support EVs and reduce cost of EVs
    3. Invest in battery research
    4. Support alternatives to plastics made from fossil fuel
    5. Develop worker transition plans
  5. Expand work to reduce wildfire and smoke impacts
    1. Work with states and local communities
    2. Expand data access
    3. Promote native knowledge
  6. Preserve farmland and improve soil
    1. Regenerative agriculture
    2. Climate smart practices that increase yield and reduce costs
    3. Reduce methane emissions
  7. Support community resilience
  8. Expand clean manufacturing
    1. Focus on climate technology, including batteries
    2. Compete with China
  9. Expand public-private partnerships for financing
    1. For electrical transmission
    2. EV infrastructure
    3. Community resilience
  10. Support new approaches to transportation
    1. Robo service for transit
    2. Integration with rail
  11. (bonus item): Support real science and research

Isn’t that better than climate denial, gutting of national park services, additional subsidies for oil companies, and reduced funding for transportation?

 

Reader Comments

4 Replies to “Time for a Positive Vision of America’s Environment”

  1. Thanks Ken –
    We needed this!

    But what about forests?!!
    Ag land yes, but private forestland too (beyond just wildfire. Around half of CA forestland is privately owned and managed far below its natural C stock capacity…).

    Easements, incentives to grow bigger, older, more resiliant spacing in private forests

  2. Sounds like a strategic plan for any rational country. Many details to quibble over for sure. In addition to private forests as above, I’d propose a reference for wetland restoration for climate resilience and biodiversity. The policy frameworks already exist.

  3. Why promote item #2, “Reduce electricity prices..” ? That is part of the problem. Item #2 should read, “Reduce electricity consumption.” Nothing wrong with high electricity prices as that gets people to stop using excess energy. People need to figure out how to be more efficient.

  4. Forests, yes, but open space overall as CA has a lot of chaparral and grasslands.
    aAree with Robert, but also we need a lot more DER!
    Nice job Ken, we need to really socialize,
    thank you

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About Ken

Ken is the director of Project Climate at UC Berkeley's Center for Law, Energy, & Environment. He spent eight years as a Senior Policy Advisor to Governor Jerry Brow…

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About Ken

Ken is the director of Project Climate at UC Berkeley's Center for Law, Energy, & Environment. He spent eight years as a Senior Policy Advisor to Governor Jerry Brow…

READ more

POSTS BY Ken