Oakland Climate Action Coalition

Principles for an Equitable and Just Energy and Climate Action Plan

Contact: Emily Kirsch, Ella Baker Center, 510.285.8228,

Dear Public Works Agency,

We applaud your efforts to initiate an open and inclusive process for developing proposals that can help Oakland achieve its greenhouse gas reduction and renewable energy goals while maximizing benefits to our community, particularly the most vulnerable.

Low-income communities and communities of color in Oakland are more likely to suffer the economic, environmental, health-related, and natural disaster-related perils of climate change and rising energy costs. These communities are also less likely to have access to the benefits of energy- and climate-related solutions. Oakland must ensure that low-income residents, people of color, immigrant communities, youth and others with barriers to participation in a planning process like this are among the first who are protected from peril AND among the first to benefit from solutions.

The Oakland Climate Action Coalition organizations signed above support the following criteria for evaluating proposals under the Oakland Energy and Climate Action Plan. We believe these suggestions will guide Oakland toward a sustainable and equitable future.

Principles for a Just and Equitable Climate Action Plan

Provide Equal Access to Benefits

  • Maximize reductions in local energy use in ways that reduce energy and utility costs for all residents.
  • Maximize the procurement and production of local renewable energy sources in ways that create local business opportunities and thus generate a more vibrant local economy.
  • Maximize creation and retention of local, high-quality green-collar jobs that provide at least living wage pay, provide benefits, and offer opportunities for training and career advancement.
  • Provide ample training and education opportunities for local residents in order to provide pathways into green-collar careers.

Provide Equal Protection from Perils and Costs

  • Provide relief to the most heavily polluted communities by minimizing or eliminating local and regional sources of pollution.
  • Maximize verifiable local greenhouse gas reductions as a way of reducing overall local and regional air pollution
  • Assist vulnerable communities in adapting to the most likely impacts of climate change and energy scarcity, including rising sea level, changing weather patterns, and rising costs of living.
  • Abide by the “polluter pays” principle in pricing carbon and other pollutants
  • Ensure revenue generated be used to aid low- and moderate-income consumers in paying for rising energy and transportation costs
  • Prohibit the use of carbon offsets to account for greenhouse gas reduction

Important Process Points

Beyond criteria for setting priorities, we also strongly recommend the following:

  • Don't reinvent the wheel. Evaluate and utilize existing proposals such as the
    "Oil Independent Oakland by 2020" report, the Mayor's "Green Economy Task Force." report and the Local Clean Energy Alliance's "21st Century Greenprint for the East Bay."
  • Create a grassroots outreach plan that provides outreach and education to all Oakland residents. Ensure access for and meaningful participation from low-income residents, people of color, immigrant communities, youth and others with barriers to participation.
  • Conduct economic and health impact assessments of the Plan to determine the impacts on vulnerable communities.

We strongly urge the City of Oakland to adopt these principles for evaluating Oakland Energy and Climate Action proposals. Such criteria will help position Oakland as a model city that is economically vibrant, environmentally sound, and socially just.

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