Despite Mayor Lurie’s campaign pledge to “prioritize climate action not just in words, but in dollars and policy,” advocates say little meaningful progress has followed—in fact, the mayor is proposing to nearly eliminate the Department of the Environment.
At noon Wednesday, the steps of city hall filled with dozens of labor leaders including many from IFPTE Local 21, climate activists, elected officials, and San Francisco residents from all walks of the city. They signed and chanted in protection of the city’s Climate Action Plan.
The rally came in preparation for a hearing of the Budget and Appropriations committee, where the members will consider the Lurie Administration’s plan to cut department funding by 80 percent.
An organizer, Zachary Frial, said the mayor’s proposed budget would cripple implementation of San Francisco’s commitment to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.
“One of the beautiful things about this rally is you see labor and the environment together,” Frial said. “San Francisco is and has been, and largely through the efforts of the Climate Emergency Coalition a leader on climate and the environment… All this work has happened because there have been human beings able to do the policy work and implementation work to make those things happen. Without those people, San Francisco cannot lead on climate… Our climate action plan sets ambitious goals as it must.”
San Francisco has positioned itself as a national climate leader. However many advocates and city leaders are worried that the proposed FY 2026 and 2027 budget compromise the commitments in a moment where extreme weather events and overall public health risks are becoming more intense.
San Francisco is already facing increasing climate impacts, including a 10 inch rise in sea levels over the past 20 years that puts infrastructure within San Francisco at risk with flooding by 2040-2080.
The cuts have an impact on not only the climate itself, but the people behind these jobs. Nicole Appenzeller with Local 21, explained the impact these layoffs have.
“We are at risk of layoff to multiple team members at our department that are focused around building decarbonization, transportation electrification, and biodiversity. By cutting our climate workers we are at risk of not meeting our clean air goal (net-zero 2040). There is great momentum for that goal, but by cutting the funding to the plan through these employees it is directly affecting our ability to execute them” she said.
Speakers at the rally emphasized the cuts as not only abstract changes to environmental policy, but as immediate risks to public safety.
Arieann Harrison, founder and executive director of hte Marie Harrison Community Foundation, and member of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s Community Advisory Council, is a long-time Bayview/Hunters Point resident and environmental justice advocate. She said “clean air solutions are vital to not only District 10, but all of San Francisco. Today is a solution-based conversation, and seeing the importance of climate resilience, and equitable access to clean air and safe housing.”
“It is not going to work again to achieve these goals without money and without people…we cannot wait until the Board of Supervisors gets the budget in June,” Sup. Rafael Mandelman said.
