Defending the Bay from Climate Change Despite Federal Rollbacks

Apr 19, 2017

President Trump has issued another executive order to weaken environmental protections—this time, to undo policies curbing climate change. If implemented, this executive order would roll back limits on carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, exacerbating global warming.  

Baykeeper and environmental groups across the country are pushing back against the administration’s anti-science policies and working locally to keep the environment healthy.

Baykeeper is defending San Francisco Bay from climate change by:

  • Restoring natural buffers: Baykeeper helped craft proposed state legislation that would repurpose dredged mud for wetland restoration. Wetlands are natural buffers against storm surges, floods, and sea level rise, and also provide habitat for native California wildlife. We are also challenging excessive Bay sand mining to keep beaches from eroding.  
  • Making the Bay Area climate ready: With climate change, the Bay Area can expect greater variability in rainfall, with extreme fluctuations between drought and heavy storms. Baykeeper is working with Bay Area cities and advocating at the state level to ensure smart water use like more green infrastructure, greater use of recycled water, and increased water efficiency.
  • Stopping fossil fuel expansion: Baykeeper has successfully stopped proposals to expand dirty oil and coal in the Bay Area. We helped win a critical victory to prevent an increase in the shipment of crude oil in unsafe tank cars on tracks along the Bay shoreline. And we successfully opposed coal export from the cities of Oakland and Vallejo. In addition to potentially contaminating the Bay and Bay Area communities, these fossil fuel expansions would increase the use of carbon-heavy fuel at a time when the country needs to transition to more green energy sources. 
  • Identifying the threats: Using Google Trekker cameras and a remote-controlled boat, Baykeeper mapped the Bay shoreline to help identify the biggest threats from sea level rise. Once complete, the imagery and interactive maps will be available to the public, allowing everyone from city planners to community organizers to see where Bay shorelines are most vulnerable to sea level rise.

The threats posed by global climate change are significant. However, there are many ways the Bay Area can become more resilient to sea level rise, plan for climate variability, and reduce our cities’ carbon footprint. With your help, Baykeeper is working to prepare the Bay for this new climate reality.

Photo of the Hamilton Wetlands Restoration Project in Novato by Robb Most

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