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Comment 5 for : April 28, 2016 Cap-and-Trade Workshop on Sector-Based Offsets (sectorbased4-ws) - 1st Workshop.
First Name: Pamela Tau
Last Name: Lee
Email Address: ptlee14@gmail.com
Affiliation: Just Transition Allicance
Subject: ARB proposal to include international sector-based offsets in cap and trade
Comment:
Chair Mary Nichols California Air Resources Board 1001 1 Street Sacramento, CA Governor Brown c/o State Capital, Suite 1173 Sacramento, CA 95814 Re: ARB proposal to include international sector-based offsets in cap and trade Chair Mary Nichols and Governor Brown: I have worked and volunteered locally and internationally on issues of environment for nearly 3 decades. In 1990 I was a part of crafting the Principles of Environmental Justice and the coming together of voices and presence of communities impacted by environmental injustice. Key to my commitment is addressing environmental racism, i.e. Racism in the way communities of color, poor, elderly and indigenous people are exposed to emissions from greenhouse gas emitting facilities; racism in the way environmental policies perpetuates disparate exposures through exclusion from protection and unequal methods with regard to enforcement of environmental regulations. I am submitting this letter to express my opposition to your proposal to include international offsets as part of California’s cap and trade program. The climate crises is urgent and life threatening. The crises at hand requires critical thinking and action. Critical thinking that is inclusive and addresses sustainability and responsible development in a way that significantly moves the needle toward halting global warming. I find it disturbing how industry and climate deniers are able to have so much influence on how climate policies are crafted. I’m disturbed by how maintaining corporate profits takes precedent over human health. Finally, I am disturbed that the voices of those directly impacted are excluded in this process. I appeal to you to not pursue an international offset program. The details of why are spelled out clearly in a letter signed by organizations that include the Indigenous Environmental Network, the No REDD in Africa, the California Environmental Justice Alliance, the Just Transition Alliance to name a few. Instead of spending time, energy and tax dollars on a program that satisfies profit margins for industry; I along with millions living on the front lines of the climate crises seek a shift toward policies and action that mandate emission caps for industry. We seek action and policies from you that ultimately reduces our reliance on fossil fuels, coal and gas. Scientific studies have found that current governmental policies including the COP 21 Agreements are not sufficient to keep global warming to below 1.5 degrees; this includes policies such as cap and trade. Crafting protocols to “fix” international cap and trade negative practices is flawed, unrealistic and environmentally racist. Garnering the political will to mandate caps and striving toward a future where reliance on fossil fuels, coal, and gas is reduced will be challenging, but is ultimately what needs to be done. Take the political leadership necessary to meaningfully and significantly halt the warming. Signed, Pamela Tau Lee San Francisco, California *Identification UC Berkeley School of Public Health, Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, retired Asian Pacific Environmental Network, co-founder/past chair Just Transition Alliance, training and education lead Grassroots Global Justice member/ COP 21 delegate Chinese Progressive Association – SF, board chair
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Date and Time Comment Was Submitted: 2016-05-12 21:45:53
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