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“Ask the animals, and they will teach you,
or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;
or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
or let the fish in the sea inform you.”– Job 12:7-8
Why do we need a climate bond?
California decision-makers have cut funding for critical community resilience programs in the last year. And recently, Governor Newsom has proposed further cuts and delays for climate in the state budget. We are running out of time to invest in climate resilience and clean energy, and to protect our biodiversity amid droughts, floods, and wildfire smoke.
Placing the biggest possible climate bond on the ballot this year may be our last big chance to invest in climate this decade and in this current administration. If we don’t pass a climate bond this year, we may have to wait until it’s too late in the decade for another chance to get one through, blowing past the 2030 climate tipping point scientists have warned us about. After years of stalling on large-scale climate investments, we cannot spend any more time debating the need for this critical tranche of investments.
We are running out of time to invest in clean energy and protect our biodiversity amid droughts, floods, and wildfire smoke. With California facing not only a budget crisis but also an escalating climate crisis, it’s imperative that our leaders take bold and decisive action.
The proposed bond is structured to ensure that more than 40% of the investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are overburdened by pollution; the bond would complement the Biden administration’s Justice40 Initiative. If it passes, the proposed $10 billion bond would represent the largest voter-approved climate resilience investment in U.S. history and would prioritize investments specifically requested by the communities most at risk from climate impacts.
California faces unprecedented challenges from climate change and the impact it is having on our natural resources. This bond will:
- Prevent Wildfires: Recent wildfires have caused extensive damage including pollution, deaths, and economic harm. A UCLA report highlights over 50,000 premature deaths and $400 billion in economic losses in a decade. Proposition 4 aims to equip firefighters to prevent and mitigate wildfire impacts.
- Ensure Clean Drinking Water: Proposition 4 aims to provide safe drinking water to nearly one million Californians without access, assisting communities in connecting to safe water supplies and removing toxic PFAFs. The bond also targets critical infrastructure risks and water supply cleanup.
- Fight Extreme Heat: Rising temperatures endanger vulnerable populations like seniors and children. Proposition 4 aims to address this by funding programs for heat mitigation, including more shade, cooling centers, and other protective strategies.
- Combat Drought: Climate change in California is leading to drier conditions with more intense storms, impacting the environment, society, and economy. Proposition 4 aims to fund programs for better drought and storm preparation, enhanced floodwater management, and improved groundwater sustainability.
Proposition 4 is a major investment in conservation, crucial for preserving natural resources for future generations.
Download and share our flyer on the Climate Bond here.
Faith Votes
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