This year’s national election results present us with a mind-boggling disconnect when it comes to climate change. Global carbon emissions — predominantly from burning coal, oil and gas — are reaching record highs . The year newly past, 2024, is expected to be the hottest in recorded history . A warmer planet ensures more deadly and destructive heat waves, storms, floods and droughts unless we quickly transition away from fossil fuels. Yet voters just elected leaders who deny the reality of climate science and plan to ramp up fossil fuel production and use for years to come.
Santa Barbara County stands out against the national results. Here voters elected leaders who are actively working to transition us from fossil fuels to clean energy. By significant margins we re-elected climate activists like Salud Carbajal to represent us in Congress, and Gregg Hart and Monique Limon to represent us in state legislatures. Our city and county governments have adopted Climate Action Plans that are effectively moving our communities towards a clean energy future. So, for us, the disappoint and frustration are even more deeply felt.
It may seem that political forces have rendered the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy insurmountable. However, much stronger economic forces and, indeed, our own local experiences, are showing that a clean energy future is unstoppable.