“You Can’t Rush Progress”: Creating a UC Green New Deal under the Pressure of the Climate Crisis – Perennial: The Berkeley Undergraduate Environmental Journal

by Jacqueline Cox

As an institution that prides itself on being at the forefront of progress and activism, the University of California is currently reckoning with voices of frustration from the UC Green New Deal (UC GND). The UC GND is a state-wide coalition that is encouraging the University of California to radically improve their current approach to climate justice as a spin-off of the federal Green New Deal championed by Congresswoman Alexandria Occasio-Cortez.

As the largest employer and landowner in California, the actions that the University of California takes could impact and inspire the state’s climate policies in the future. The UC Berkeley GND is one of 10 branches in a state-wide organization composed of students, staff, alumni, faculty, and general community members that is pushing the oldest branch of the UC to use its position of power to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis.

Following a report from the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2019 that the earth will warm an average of 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2030, the UC declared a climate emergency. However, many students are demanding tangible actions rather than bold statements, given the urgency of the climate crisis.

The UC GND is inspired by the federal Green New Deal policy package proposed by Representative Occasio-Cortez and Senator Ed Markey in February 2019. Some cities, including LA and Seattle, have since formed their own versions of the Green New Deal that include comprehensive climate justice policies. In November of 2019, students held a Town Hall meeting in Wheeler Hall of UC Berkeley’s campus, where panelists spoke and attendees gathered in small groups to discuss the potential of a UC Green New Deal and establish their demands. Based on these demands, the Town Hall’s organizers drafted a preliminary proposal that would be the basis for their policies.

General demands of the UC-wide Green New Deal include “sustainable energy infrastructure, climate/disaster resilience, curriculum overhaul, basic needs, land management and housing, food system and waste management, ending public-private partnerships, union labor, tuition and funding, representation at the table, and transparency” (@ucberkeleygnd on Instagram). For Berkeley’s campus, there is a greater focus on local issues, such as basic needs, the housing crisis, resiliency against wildfires, and the “Pour Out Pepsi” campaign.

A primary goal, and point of significant contention, for the expansive UC GND is the incorporation of environmental justice into the policy platform. Emma Centeno, a Berkeley undergraduate student and department co-lead for the UC GND, said that environmental justice has always been a focus for Berkeley’s branch, but the UC-wide coalition posed more of a challenge. “It’s been a tough process,” Centeno said, “some people end up dropping out because of the burnout they face.”

As a national document, the Green New Deal emphasizes a just transition to a more sustainable future. But for the UC GND, some coalition members worry that incorporating ‘too much’ environmental justice will increase the likelihood that the Regents and Chancellors reject their proposal. ASUC Senator Sarah Bancroft, whose office is home to the UC GND Department, said, “the issue comes up when we work with other sustainability-minded people who don’t have the same priorities or understanding of environmental justice.” Centeno said that the debate falls mainly along lines of group identity, with undergraduates and union members advocating for an EJ framework, and professors and PhD students more concerned with sustainability and energy.

UC Berkeley coalition members, including Centeno, have also expressed their frustrations with the structure of the UC-wide coalition, specifically its hierarchy and the lack of transparency from its leadership in the early stages. According to Centeno, “it branded itself as grassroots, but if you know anything about grassroots organizing, that’s not it.” Centeno, alongside students from other UCs, brought their concerns to the coalition heads, and they have seen some improvement. However, the coalition still does not have equal representation from all the UCs, which is a point of contention moving forward.

Once the policy proposal is finalized and presented to the Regents and Chancellors, Centeno is confident that the UC GND can rally student support. The coalition has continuously worked to expand its base, holding open monthly meetings for students to join and provide their input. However, Centeno said that a concern moving forward is that the Regents will “pick and choose what they want to implement like a menu,” most likely leaving environmental justice policies out of the package. For example, a provision like COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment), which calls for increasing the salaries of Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs) to accommodate increased housing prices, is less likely to pass. According to Senator Bancroft, the Regents will most likely support “the least expensive policies that uphold the status quo of UC power relations.” The longevity of the UC GND is a concern as well; since many student advocates are graduating in the coming years, new members must fill their positions to ensure the policies are implemented.

Despite these challenges, the UC GND has made considerable progress and the coalition is currently solidifying their platforms to present to the Regents. The Academic Council and the University Committee on Planning and Budget both endorsed a resolution for the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to review the UC’s current insurance companies to ensure they follow Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles. The Chair of the Academic Senate, Mary Gauvain, discussed the importance of being fossil free, rather than simply carbon neutral, at a meeting with the Regents. As more university powerhouses endorse the goal of climate justice, the UC GND’s platform becomes all the more compelling.

Still, the UC GND is calling on the Regents to take bold steps, not just lend support to the cause, and students are aware that this will take more than a single victory. “You can’t rush progress,” Centeno said, “It’s not about checking boxes, it’s a careful process.” So racing against the urgency of climate change, the students of the UC Green New Deal continue to work tirelessly, pushing the University of California to live up to its words and become a progressive model in the fight for climate justice.

Sources:

Jacqueline Cox (she/her) is a second year double majoring in American Studies and Society and Environment. She joined Perennial because she has always had a passion for environmental justice and wanted to enlighten herself and her peers on issues of justice and sustainability in an accessible format. In her free time, Jacqueline loves playing guitar, doing film photography, hiking, and spending time outdoors.

by Jacqueline Cox

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply