SANTA ANA, Calif. — Local environmental group Climate Action Campaign gathered like-minded partners and politicians Wednesday to give its first report card for Orange County environmental policy.

What You Need To Know

  • The report card is designed to evaluate the climate action plans or policies of cities and counties

  • The Climate Action Campaign environmental group wants cities to adopt legally binding climate action plans

  • Orange County does not have a climate action plan, but one is currently in the works with 5th District County Supervisor Katrina Foley hoping to bring it to a vote this year

  • Foley said it needs to be tied into the budget, so spending for the climate action plan does not get overlooked

The group has been pushing for policies that can mitigate the impact of climate change, using the green report card as a tool to help residents understand what measures are and are not underway. 

The conclusion of the group is that Orange County cities have failed to prepare for the climate emergency. 

Ayn Craciun, Orange County policy manager for Climate Action Campaign, said the report card has already worked in San Diego County, where the group has issued it over five years on 17 municipalities.

“It creates transparency,” she said. “It helps the community understand what the city is doing and not doing.”

The press conference, held at the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center, included a coalition of climate change activists and politicians who have pushed for stronger climate policies. Craciun said that only six cities in the county had climate action plans, and the goal is to get more cities to adopt legally binding plans that compel the cities to follow through.

"Without meaningful climate policies, cities put residents at further risk of climate impacts like heat waves and wildfires," said Alexis Hernandez, also with Climate Action Campaign and co-author of the report card.

The inaugural report card, a 42-page document, found that Huntington Beach, Fullerton and Santa Ana were the top scoring cities. The report noted development of bike infrastructure in the cities and strides made toward green energy as achievements. The goal eventually is for the whole county to reach zero carbon emissions.

The many speakers each listed changes and priorities they felt the county and its cities should focus on. The list included transportation and hiring proximity. With fewer people commuting long distances, emissions levels could be reduced and traffic congestion relieved. Speakers also pointed to affordable housing as a means to prevent workers from commuting long distances to work in areas they can’t afford to live in.

Among the speakers was Kathleen Treseder, a University of California, Irvine professor and newly elected to the Irvine City Council. A professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, she focuses on the impact of climate change.

“Just because a City Council votes on environmental issues doesn’t mean they follow through,” she said.

Other newly elected City Council members spoke to the small group of reporters, including Alex Rounaghi of Laguna Beach, and Jose Trinidad Castaneda of Buena Park.

Katrina Foley, supervisor of Orange County’s 5th District, said her office has been working on developing a climate action plan which she hopes will come to a vote in 2023. Her office has gathered information from every county department that details efforts made to reduce the government’s carbon footprint, she said.

“We’re the only large county in California that does not have a climate action plan,” she said.

She added that Orange County has made strides in climate policy, and now it’s time to formalize it with a climate action plan. That means, in part, it needs to be in the budget.

“If it’s not tied to the budget, then it’s not going to be a priority,” she said. “We’re missing out on all kinds of grants and federal money.”