Santa Monica City Council Decides to Spend $800 Million to Combat Global Warming Locally

Update: Response by Santa Monica City Manager Rick Cole to this article: https://www.smobserved.com/story/2019/05/31/news/response-by-sm-city-manager-rick-cole-to-criticism-of-climate-change-resolution/4001.html

Almost without fanfare or notice, the City of Santa Monica has voted to spend $800 Million over ten years to reduce its carbon foot print. This is $8,000 per resident, or about 3 times the City's annual budget. It's more money than it would take to build an aircraft carrier, or 1600 units of housing.

"Last night, the Santa Monica City Council adopted the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP), the City's roadmap to achieving an 80% cut in carbon emissions by 2030 and reaching community-wide carbon neutrality by 2050 or sooner", said City information czar Constance Farrell, in a press release.

The all-out effort to avert global warming, will only impact 8 square miles of the US, which is over 2,000,000 square miles in size. Even less of the globe, proportionately, will be affected. To quote from the City's press release:

"Staff estimate that implementing the plan would cost over $800 million over the next decade, including substantial investments that are already anticipated to achieve other City goals that are consistent with climate action and adaptation goals. To put that in perspective, Council has already approved over $383 million in funding to support climate action and adaptation projects over the past two biennial Capital Improvement Program budget cycles. This includes initiatives to achieve water self-sufficiency, walking and biking infrastructure, and expanding electric vehicle charging."

Yeah. Well, it's a lot of money to affect something that only a planet wide effort would truly impact.

Anyway continuing with that press release:

"The Climate Action section focuses on eight objectives in three sectors:

·         Zero Net Carbon Buildings

·         Zero Waste

·         Sustainable Mobility"

This would seem to mean that they’re going to make it yet harder to drive a car in Santa Monica, by painting more bike lanes and replacing parking structures with housing (on a theory that if people live downtown, they won’t need to drive).

I can't comment on the following, because I don't have any idea what it means:

"The Climate Adaptation section focuses on community resilience to climate change through four sectors:

·         Climate Ready Community

·         Water Self-Sufficiency

·         Coastal Flooding Preparedness

·         Low Carbon Food & Ecosystems"

Apparently they’re going to build wells and sea walls, or something. I note in passing that the press release says “sustainable” four times, “Community” eight times, with 2 references to “Social Justice,” and two references to “Equity.” So it seems intended to please a certain audience (i.e., progressives), and at the same time, allow the council to reward friends with rich contracts.