SAN DIEGO MUST STEP UP TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE
The impacts of climate change are here.
From sea level rise to increased temperatures and wildfire risk, we are experiencing changes in our climate throughout San Diego County. While many individuals are working hard to combat climate change, the question remains: Will government and local organizations rise to the occasion?
A study recently published by our group of nine researchers, led by Dr. Quandt at San Diego State University, explored existing efforts to mitigate and adapt the county’s key infrastructures to climate impacts. With the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report stating that it is “unequivocally” clear that human actions are the most prominent cause of present-day global warming, the time for action on global and local scales is now.
Our study sought to shed light on the actions being taken in San Diego County and evaluate the effectiveness of these adaptation and mitigation efforts. Mitigation of climate change involves directly reducing the flow of greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere, while adaptation refers to adjusting to the future climate. We used an anonymous online survey of 28 local experts familiar with climate changeinduced challenges facing the region and included questions on overall preparedness for impacts, such as rising sea levels and temperatures. A list of organizations recruited for participation can be found in the study.
The good news is that local efforts to mitigate climate change and to adapt its impacts are well underway in San Diego County. The experts in our study described and assessed 39 mitigation and adaptation activities. These include the county’s Climate Action Plan, and the city’s 2022 San Diego Climate Action Plan. The city’s plan thoroughly acknowledges the climate emergency and pledges to act under the guidance of six key strategies, which address topics such as decarbonization, clean energy access and sustainable community practices, among others.
In addition to these climate action plans, experts mentioned numerous ongoing activities: integrating climate change related topics into community college curriculum, regenerative farming, coastal marsh restoration, regional transportation planning, electric vehicle charging stations, sea-level rise adaptation planning and residential solar photovoltaic projects. Of the 39 activities assessed, twothirds were described as a highpriority activity.
But how effective are these activities at fighting climate change?
Our survey required respondents to rank the effectiveness of their activities with respect to their own goals and objectives. Of the 39 activities that were rated for effectiveness, eight were rated very good, 16 good, five fair and two poor. None were rated very poor, and eight activities were not ranked because they are ongoing and/or new. Most activities were viewed by experts as effectively meeting their climate change mitigation and adaptation goals. While it could take several years to observe whether the climate action plans and activities were effective enough in mitigating and adapting to climate change, experts are hopeful that we are moving in the right direction.
However, there are still areas where our local governments and organizations need to do better.
For example, the transportation sector had mixed results regarding its ability to adapt to the impacts of climate change. Only one of the 10 transportation experts said our transportation system is prepared for extreme heat, two said it is prepared for sea level rise, two said it is prepared for high surge storms, one said it is prepared for wildfires and mudslides, and two believed the transportation sector lack these adaptation plans entirely. This was echoed by other respondents who stated, “San Diego does not have these adaptation plans,” and “Current plans are either not enough, or the political will to properly execute them does not exist.”
Environmental-justice related activities were perceived to be relatively ineffective with only 50 percent of experts reporting the inclusion of these priorities into climate change plans and activities. Indeed, the most successful integration of climate justice activities were found to be led by nongovernmental organizations, rather than government institutions and officials. Experts stated that climate and environmental justice faced major challenges, including “people’s apathy and unwillingness to make environmental justice a priority” and “little to no representation in local authorities.”
So how can the San Diego region do a better job of rising to the occasion?
In our study, we provide three key recommendations for organizations and government institutions in San Diego County, based on our results.
They are: 1) improved communication and coordination across sectors, 2) adaptation becoming a priority alongside mitigation, and 3) the treatment of climate justice initiatives as critical to combating climate change.
We must continue doing better for our beautiful San Diego to thrive in the future. Let’s rise together.
is assistant professor of environmental geography at San Diego State University and lives in Mira Mesa.
is a lecturer at San Diego State University and lives in Mission Valley.
is a graduate student at San Diego State University and a member of the board of directors for Ocean Sanctuaries and lives in San Diego.