by Joanna Lasher, LWVSC Environment Chair Jan 17, 2024

What is happening to the World’s Climate?  In the United States? New York? The Capital Region? Daily there are pictures on the News. Scary Weather reports. New reports from scientists saying changes such as melting glaciers, higher average temperatures, animal species going extinct, fires burning millions of acres, and mega storms happening at an ever increasing rate and sooner than previously predicted!

Many of these effects are far away and seem to be totally beyond our control. There seems to be no way for us to have an impact. However, the weird weather patterns, heavy rains and flooding are becoming much more a part of our lives locally. Those  of you who have been attending League of Women Voters of Saratoga County Meet-ups the last few years  are probably aware that we have had several programs addressing Climate Change issues in New York State. You may know that New York adopted the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act,(a premier model program plan for the country) in 2019. Between 2020 and 2022, Committees of the Climate Action Council met for many hours to develop the Climate Scoping Plan which was introduced in January 2023,  The goal of this act was to develop a timeline to replace fossil fuels/ dirty energy and polluted air and water with clean energy and and a cleaner environment and do it while developing new good jobs and using 40% of the funds to improve disadvantaged communities. By 2030, 70% of electricity is to be produced from renewable resources. By 2040, the goal is to have zero per cent emissions of green house gases.  By 2050 the goal is to have NY  be carbon neutral as compared to 1990 levels.

Since the Scoping Plan has been released, many members of the legislature and Governor Hochul have been working hard to produce legislation to meet and fund these goals. A lot of progress has been made, but the struggle is ongoing. Fossil fuel companies, that have been traditionally supported by public funding and favorable regulations while making billions of dollars are fighting back. They have an army of lobbyists putting forth a variety of false solutions that appear to bridge the gap, but only produce more polluting emissions and more delays which we can no longer afford. Old regulations allow them to ask for more money to build infrastructure paid for by taxpayers that will lock us into fossil fuels for decades to come.

What can we do?

First we can keep ourselves informed through a variety of trusted sources.

Second, we can support groups such as the Climate Action Council that put in 100s of hours developing a plan and a timeline to make progress at the state level and then advocate alone or in partnership with groups who are working to develop legislation to further projects, change regulations and provide funding to meet these goals.

The League of Women Voters New York State does pick out legislation for which they advocate and encourage local leagues to advocate. That includes bills recommended by experts in the environmental area as well as bills on other types of issues.

For the purpose of education, we are sponsoring a speaker for the April 18 League Monthly Forum who will talk to us about progress the state is making in pursuit of Scoping Plan goals: Blair Horner, Executive Director of New York Public Interest Research Group. (See Events Calendar).