Foundation News

Sierra Club Foundation Board Meeting in Southern California

By Steven Berkenfeld, Chair, Board of Directors, Sierra Club Foundation

The February quarterly meeting of the Sierra Club Foundation’s board of directors was held in North Hollywood, California over two days. Part Foundation business meeting, part grantee program updates, and part joint planning with the Sierra Club board of directors on a comprehensive clean energy solutions campaign, the meeting overall was very productive and informative.

On the first day, we heard from multiple Sierra Club campaign directors on projects fiscally sponsored by the Sierra Club Foundation. John Coequyt, project director for the Sierra Club’s International Climate Leadership Campaign, provided an analysis of the Paris Climate Summit. The Sierra Club did impressive public education and advocacy efforts leading up the Summit to ensure a successful outcome, and in the end, 196 countries made country-specific pledges to be reviewed every five years in the most ambitious climate agreement in history.

Bill Corcoran, project director of the Sierra Club’s Western Beyond Coal Campaign, gave an update on the campaign, which includes stopping coal power in the Intermountain West and Pacific Northwest, as well as clean energy solutions work in California through the California My Generation Campaign. Work in the Northwest has focused on challenging coal exports and keeping Powder River Basin coal in the ground and off regional power grids while also advocating for more renewable energy power generation. The campaign’s focus is on educating people to build momentum as well as developing community leadership to advance a low-carbon economy. Directors asked how the Club is working with labor groups given the different interests of those working in fossil fuel power generation versus those in the clean energy sector. Corcoran explained that it has been challenging, but that the Club is starting to meet with utility workers to engage around a vision of a clean energy future and what that means in terms of workforce transition and continuing workforce development and how best to address labor concerns and worker needs. Directors were interested in the future of the My Generation campaign and how it could be applied to more states. Corcoran explained that the My Generation campaign has been cutting edge in advancing clean energy solutions in California and has experienced a lot of growth in 2015 that is well-positioned to be adapted to other regions soon.

George Watland, Senior Chapter Director of the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter, and David Haake, Angeles Chapter's Fracking: Oil and Gas Committee, presented on the Porter Ranch Methane emergency. After a massive methane leak, local Club activists worked to educate the community on the dangers of methane and to organize people to turn out for local hearings. Once a state of emergency was declared, the Club had a team ready to respond rapidly with a three pronged strategy: first to stop the gas leak, then to lobby at the state level for higher standards on methane regulations, and last to secure federal regulations on methane pollution.

Then Jodie Van Horn, project director for the Ready for 100 Campaign, led us through a working session for directors to discuss how we can engage our networks to help secure 100% clean energy commitments from cities and institutions across the U.S. With representation from all over the country on the Foundation board, we were excited to begin strategizing about how we can organize around 100% clean energy in our regions post-board meeting.

Finally, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti joined Sierra Club executive director Michael Brune for a session with the Foundation board on progress with clean energy in Los Angeles. With Mayor Garcetti continuing the effective environmental leadership of former Mayor Villaraigosa, Los Angeles is on the path to becoming a coal-free city powered by renewable energy.

The next morning kicked off with a joint session of the Sierra Club Foundation and Sierra Club boards. We took a deep dive together on strategic thinking around a comprehensive Clean Energy Campaign. In the afternoon, we stretched our legs with a guided hike in Griffith Park with local Sierra Club outings leaders to explore one of the largest urban parks in North America.

The Foundation board will meet next in May in San Francisco. We will be sure to keep you updated on our work to advance the strategic goals of the Sierra Club Foundation and Sierra Club.  

 

Category: News and Updates