The Why Not? Report - From the June 2020 Online Workshop
Executive Summary:
The June 2020 Online Workshop on Climate Change convened a diverse group of stakeholders around four focal questions in the search of mutual actions. The Why Not Report uses the Problems with Solutions format, where each problem statement is paired with proposed solutions. Readers are encouraged to refine the problem and solution pairings rather than each individually.
Focal Question: How will COVID-19 affect climate legislation of Washington State? A reflection by Washington State Senator Mona Das.
Be solutions focused. You have a problem, otherwise you’re not going to come and see me. But you only have 15 minutes. What roadblocks can I remove for you?
COVID-19 is top of mind for legislators right now. We are searching for solutions with co-benefits of environmental justice.
“Make friends before lunch or eat alone.” To be effective in Olympia, make relationships and bring people along.
Focal Question: How will traditional views of increasing population density as a sustainability pathway be affected by the health benefits of low density for pandemic safety?
Density is only one factor of the spread of COVID-19 and some measures, such as masks, already reduce spread. Will pandemics change where we chose to live and raise a family?
Keep an eye on demographic shifts due to the economy as well. Public health may emerge as an urban planning design criterion.
There may be pockets of both increasing and decreasing densification. Be prepared to create centers-of-excellences of sustainability practices for both scenarios.
Focal Question: Are we willing to pay the same costs for halving global emissions by 2030 as for solving the pandemic crisis?
The goals are shared among participants, but we differ in ways to achieve them. What could help improve consensus is data and modeling, partnerships, and a focusing on communities that are harmed by a transition to a clean economy (such as coal miners, etc.)
Couple environmental sustainability and public health benefits as a means to achieve both.
Turn the question around: how do we pay the same cost to halve global emissions as we pay to address the pandemic?
Focal Question: What local partnerships do we need to achieve a global climate response?
Partnerships bring communities together to share in cost / benefit, risk / reward of an effort. The benefits must be clear for stakeholders to feel participation is valuable.
Who should be involved? Always ask “who is not present?” Partnerships is more than just getting a seat at the table. It’s about bringing the tables together.
Local organizations have a great ability to generate data about their own communities. Can this be an opportunity to promote inclusion & equity?