The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has said for years that “limiting global warming to 1.5°C would require rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society.” That’s what SanDiego350’s policy teams work on. Volunteer activists are moving climate justice forward in several key areas, at the local and state level. Here are some highlights of where our policy teams made the most progress in 2022. Climate Action Plans (CAP)
The City of San Diego updated its Climate Action Plan (CAP) in August, after years of campaigning by SanDiego350 and other climate groups, and the resulting document sets ambitious goals to decarbonize the City’s energy, transportation, land use, and other systems. Dozens of SD350 members provided input on the CAP, spoke at City Council meetings, met with councilmembers and staff, and attended public workshops. Transportation
The Transportation Team has focused on microtransit, which refers to publicly-owned and operated, neighborhood-scale shared rides in small vans, connecting riders to transit stops, grocery stores and other necessities. Microtransit complements traditional transit by connecting riders who live more than half a mile away from a bus or trolley stop, and it can significantly reduce vehicle-miles traveled (VMT), greenhouse gas emissions, and environmental injustice outcomes. Building Electrification
As a founding member of the San Diego Building Electrification Coalition, SanDiego350 has been advocating for electrification ordinances for new construction in city councils throughout San Diego County. Last year, Encinitas and Solana Beach both adopted all-electric building codes for new construction and major remodels after advocacy by the coalition. Encinitas is the first city in San Diego county to adopt such a building code and the 50th city in the state to do so. Food and Soil SanDiego350's Food Waste Working Group collaborated with a coalition of local nonprofits and other stakeholders to advocate for the amendment of the so-called “People’s Ordinance.” The initiative was successfully included on the November 2022 ballot as Measure B. In August, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors approved a measure for its CAP team to work with regional partners to develop a pilot carbon farming program to incentivize the use of climate-friendly practices in local agriculture, as advocated for by the SanDiego350's Carbon Farming Working Group in a proposal submitted in 2021.
Renewable Energy
The Renewable Energy Team is campaigning to increase consumer participation in San Diego Community Power’s “Power 100” program, which offers customers 100% renewable energy for a comparable price. The team is also campaigning for city councils in the region to automatically opt their residents into the Power-100 program, as Encinitas has done. Legislative
For a recap of how SanDiego350’s priority bills fared in the California State Legislature this year, see our blog post by our intern, Augusta Lewis. The biggest highlight is the passage and signing into law of SB 1137, which creates a minimum health and safety distance of 3,200 feet between sensitive receptors, such as residences and schools, and new or reworked oil and gas wells. This is something SanDiego350 has long campaigned for. Regional Decarbonization Framework
In San Diego County, SanDiego350 members sit on all of the advisory working groups for the Regional Decarbonization Framework (RDF), for which the County is in the process of drafting an implementation plan. SanDiego350 is seeking a strong implementation plan with funding and accountability. The RDF is a sweeping framework that, if implemented, will achieve net-zero emissions by 2045. | 
