Regional Leaders
Perspectives from local leaders
"The San Diego region has become a national model for addressing the challenges of climate change. We have done so by forging an unprecedented collaboration of a wide range of diverse experts and community leaders, working together to sustain the special quality of life and economic vibrancy San Diegans value."
Ron Roberts
Supervisor, San Diego County Board; Chair, San Diego County Air Pollution Control Board; and Member, California Air Resources Board
"Communities like Imperial Beach, National City, La Mesa and Solana Beach have already taken action to encourage walking and biking. This helps reduce our driving and also makes our communities safer, healthier and more livable. All of the cities across our region can follow their lead."
Elyse Lowe
Deputy Executive Director, Circulate San Diego
"In our region and across California, we are taking steps to make our transit system cleaner, with expanded use of alternative and renewable fuels. That's our way of working together for our community's health and the future of our region."
Paul Jablonski
Chief Executive Officer, Metropolitan Transit System
Answering the call: opportunities for regional leaders
Since heat-trapping gases are generated locally from a variety of human actions, we can do our part by reducing emissions at home and across the San Diego region. Reducing emissions will alter the speed and severity of changes ahead.
- Reduce the number of miles we drive, utilize more fuel-efficient and electric cars and use lower-emission fuels.
- Improve the connectivity of our transit systems so San Diegans and visitors are more able to rely on public transportation and drive less.
- Implement "smart growth" principles to make communities more walkable, compact and climate-friendly.
- Encourage and adopt measures to make buildings and communities more resource-efficient through energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction, and generation and use of renewable energy.