We’d like to not burn up if that’s ok
A photo-op but one with meaning:
Facing recent years of drought, record heat waves and major wildfires, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday signed an agreement with the leaders of Oregon, Washington and British Columbia to accelerate and expand efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and address the impacts of climate change.
The “statement of cooperation,” unveiled at a news conference in San Francisco at the Presidio, was the latest effort by Newsom and other Democratic leaders to raise the profile of climate change and to take steps to continue to increase renewable energy, boost electric vehicles and widen efforts to thin fire-prone forests.
“This is not about electric power, this is about economic power,” Newsom said. “This is about dominating the next big global industry.”
Although the West Coast governments already are national leaders on environmental and climate issues, the event and the document Thursday were more of a photo opportunity and a general statement of principles than a binding contract.
The agreement’s fine print noted that “this document shall have no legal effect, impose no legally-binding obligation enforceable in any court of law or other tribunal of any sort, nor create any funding expectation.”
“Generally, I think these sort of subnational statements are important, politically and symbolically, because they can help push national governments to do more on climate action,” said Ethan Elkind, director of the Climate Program at the UC Berkeley School of Law.
But he noted that there is no guarantee to make sure any of the parties follow through.
“There’s no enforcement mechanism here other than public pressure,” Elkind said, “but at least the pledges provide a way for the public to measure action.”
California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia have 57 million residents — twice the population of Texas and three times the population of New York state — with a combined economy of $3.5 trillion, the fifth largest in the world, just behind Germany.
Newsom urged the world to reduce its use of oil, citing the decision by OPEC-Plus, a coalition of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Nigeria and other nations, Wednesday to cut production, which will is expected to raise oil and gas prices.
“Petro dictators don’t have your interest at heart,” Newsom said. “They seem more interested in Putin than they do Western democracies. We are as dumb as we want to be.”
And he took a shot at Fox News commentators, who regularly criticize San Francisco for its homelessness and crime, and have opposed California’s efforts to reduce oil use.
“Eat your heart out, Fox News,” Newsom said, looking back over the scenic San Francisco Bay and waterfront. “This is San Francisco crackup? Really? Tucker Carlson? These guys every night are doubling down on stupid, trying to make the case for subsidizing the very problem we’re all trying to solve.”
Oregon needs to ensure that the Republican or Indy doesn’t win the Governorship and it’s a close thing. But this is meaningful on its own, at least demonstrating to the rest of the world that we aren’t all self-destructive throwbacks.