We can't fight climate change without funding

The City must direct at least 1% of its budget -- approximately $130 million -- toward new spending directly on equitable climate change mitigation and adaptation. Investment of these funds must be fair, sensitive, and responsive to historic systemic economic, racial and societal inequalities. Moreover, they must be additional; that is, they must be used to expand or create programs instead of displacing funding sources for existing program work.

There are four main areas that could immediately leverage funding to mitigate climate change, add jobs, and improve equity:

• Buildings. Catalyze electrification throughout our city, starting with those who stand to lose the most in a mismanaged transition, but would gain the most when given the proper support.
• Transportation. Accelerate transition away from fossil-fuel transportation.
• Climate Equity Grants. Bolster community organizations addressing climate.
• SF Department of the Environment (SFE) Budget: Add funding for critical positions and work in the Department of the Environment, including staffing for climate action coordination.

Within those areas, we have won funding for:

• An estimated $335K for a study to analyze the costs and resources required to implement an emergency response to the climate crisis, as well as to identify potential funding sources.
• An initial grant of about $1 million to kick-start a Climate Equity Hub, to provide workforce training, outreach, and education in order to activate our zero-emissions buildings future

These items were approved during the 2021 citywide “add-back” process. While critical, they do not on their own amount to the requisite investment we need to make in our future. Some other proposals brought forward by a coalition of labor and environmental justice groups include:

• A community-designed and implemented weatherization and electrification-retrofit program
• Community-administered climate equity grants, including funding for grassroots organizing, policy, communications, and/or community-directed projects with nexus to climate.
• Universally available and income-qualified residential electrification subsidies, e.g., via CleanPowerSF
• A pilot program subsidizing low- and moderate-income residents to buy and/or rent bicycles and electric micromobility
• Expansions to the functions of the Climate Equity Hub​​
• Investments in City College of San Francisco, particularly for programs in the building trades focusing on electrification, but also for climate, climate equity, and green technology education more broadly

We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest meaningfully in equitable climate action. We must invest in “all of the above” and more. We cannot afford not to.

Our Letter and Proposal

We have joined a coalition (lowercase 'C') led by labor, environmental justice, and environmental groups, including:

• SEIU 1021
  
• PODER
  
• Emerald Cities Collaborative
  

In order to demand both the funding and structural changes necessary to improve the City's response to the climate emergency. 

Key provisions include:

1. An additional 1% of the City's ~$13 billion budget allocated to new or existing programs in equitable climate change mitigation and adaptation.
2. Changes to the City's capital planning process to require that it be consistent with known climate impacts and needs.
3. Planning and oversight, in order to ensure our City is spending money in a way that meets community needs and advances equity.

Read our complete letter and proposal to the right.