Navigating an election year can feel like trying to find your way in the dark – confusing, a little frightening, and seemingly endless.
With our busy lives and responsibilities, it can feel daunting to understand each candidate’s positions and policies on climate change. It’s hard to know what will make a difference in the daily news of droughts, wildfires, environmental injustice, and air pollution. Many also feel disheartened by a perceived lack of progress when it comes to the climate crisis and often feel ready to give up.
That’s where we can help.
At WRA, we’re illuminating the path forward to actionable climate solutions. We’re here for our communities with the expertise and tenacity to provide a guiding light to a brighter climate future.
We have a different perspective from the doom and gloom that people often hear when it comes to the climate crisis. Solving this challenge is going to take courage, resolution, and the belief that we can create a better future. And we believe we can. Why are we so hopeful? The big secret that you don’t often hear is that we are making substantial progress in our work to address climate change.
We’re hopeful because we see the progress we have already made:
8 million acres of land protected in the last 3 years.
$400 million invested in transportation electrification.
More than 100 million tons in avoided annual greenhouse gas pollution.
And we know that more is possible.
We’re hopeful because a broad range of Americans across demographics and the political spectrum are on board. Two thirds of voters support 100% renewable energy by 2035. Additionally, an overwhelming majority of people living in the West support protecting 30% of our land by 2030 and believe that we need to take urgent action to protect our water sources.
We know exactly what the challenges are before us — we know that we must cut climate warming emissions by at least 50% by 2030 and close to 100% by 2050. We know that we must use 25% less water across the West and protect the Colorado River and other key rivers. We know that we must protect 30% of the West’s land and habitat by 2030.
We are hopeful because know that solutions are possible, and we’re winning in decision making venues across the West. This election cycle, WRA will demonstrate that climate wins in our region are already making a difference – and we will help light the path for ways that you can get involved to create a more hopeful future.
The opposite of climate despair is climate action. There are many things that people can do to hold those in power accountable and to support long-term, institutional change.
Voting for policymakers who support climate values, sending an email to your state representative, showing up to a local town council meeting, or donating to organizations who are driving climate action can make the difference between whether we continue the status quo or build a brighter climate future.
Together, our advocacy is powerful. You’ll see in this edition how advocates in New Mexico changed the trajectory of a policy decision by showing up and making their voices heard. If it wasn’t for the hundreds of community members who attended hearings, reached out to decision makers, and submitted comments to the air quality board, it would have been impossible to pass new clean cars and trucks standards that will ensure clean air and equitable access to electric vehicles.
One of the most impactful ways to get involved is by taking the most fundamental action we can take in a democracy, voting. Did you know that local representatives, state elected officials, statewide ballot measures, and state commissions play a major role in solving climate change? In many states, elected and appointed commissions approve and oversee regulations that affect critical issues like our air quality, the price of our electricity bills, the availability and affordability of zero-emissions cars and trucks, and are how we hold utility companies accountable.
Our local and statewide representatives have the power to decide on issues like whether our communities are waterwise and adopt climate resilient development, and whether our states have enough funding to protect our public lands and make them accessible to all. Voting “down ballot” in state and local elections, in addition to participating in federal elections, demonstrates your engagement in the forums where critical decision making that affects our everyday lives takes place.
To spark this advocacy and our success, we’re asking you to take our Bright Climate Future pledge as a commitment to leveraging this important election year to create a sustainable and resilient future for the West. We have an opportunity to continue our climate momentum, but to win, everyone must join in the effort.
We’ll be sharing resources throughout the year on how to fulfill your pledge and make a brighter climate future a reality:
- Learn about the solutions and actions that will create a brighter climate future in the West.
- Find out who your representatives are and how to contact them.
- Learn about the power of public comment and how your advocacy can make a difference in decision making processes.
- Make a voting plan based on key environmental issues affecting your state and community.
- Learn why voting in all the elections on the ballot matters when it comes to climate solutions.
By building policy solutions that address difficult environmental problems and collaborating with diverse groups, we are tackling our region’s most pressing challenges. We are successfully reducing carbon emissions, protecting rivers, and redefining how land for our wildlife and communities is protected and connected.
The policy seeds that we plant today will grow into the bright climate future of tomorrow, and it’s critical that we start now. By taking advantage of one of our most time-honored democratic processes, we can generate more energy for our solutions and a brighter future.
