Petition for the University of California to enact a UC Green New Deal
The Office of the President of the University of California, the UC Regents, and the Chancellors of the 10 campuses.
As a leader in climate science and a wealthy university system, the University of California (UC) has a responsibility to advance major policies to reduce carbon emissions. In solidarity with frontline communities bearing the brunt of climate change, we call on the UC leadership to deploy its educational, research, labor, procurement, and investment power to promote a just transition to an equitable, accountable, and zero-carbon system. The UC Green New Deal Policy Platform, created by student, postdoctoral, faculty, union, employee, and alumni volunteers from across the UC system, details specific potential solutions that urgently need to be enacted across University of California campuses.
The full UC Green New Deal Policy Platform is available here: http://bit.ly/UCGNDPolicyPlatform
Please sign this petition in support of a Green New Deal at the University of California.
Note that only your name, campus, and role will be included in the petition delivery. The list of signatures will be updated periodically here.
In addition to the individual signatories below, the following groups officially endorse the UC Green New Deal Policy Platform:
UC Green New Deal Coalition
Green New Deal at UCSD
UC Santa Cruz Campus Climate Coalition
Berkeley Green New Deal
Climate Action Network UCLA
Let’s Green CA! Initiative of the Romero Institute
Sunrise Orange County
The University of California Graduate and Professional Council (UC-GPC), representing ~60,000 graduate and professional students at the University of California
California Nurses Association (CNA), the union representing ~100,000 nurses in California
University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE-CWA 9119), the union representing ~16,000 professional and technical employees at the University of California
Sponsored by
To:
The Office of the President of the University of California, the UC Regents, and the Chancellors of the 10 campuses.
From:
[Your Name]
As a leader in climate science and a wealthy university system, the University of California (UC) has a responsibility to advance major policies to reduce carbon emissions. In solidarity with frontline communities bearing the brunt of climate change, we call on the UC leadership to deploy its educational, research, labor, procurement, and investment power to promote a just transition to an equitable, accountable, and zero-carbon system. We call on the University of California to implement the UC Green New Deal.
The UC Green New Deal Policy Platform, created by student, postdoctoral, faculty, union, employee, and alumni volunteers from across the UC system, details specific potential solutions that urgently need to be enacted across University of California campuses.
In accordance with what science supports and justice demands, we call for:
- ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE measures that promote a just transition for the UC community to sustainable educational, living and working environments, while addressing the disproportionate effects of climate change on Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
- ENERGY system decarbonization and a rapid transition to renewable energy at each UC campus.
- TRANSPORTATION policies that rapidly decrease emissions from commuting and travel while promoting health.
- HOUSING, CONSTRUCTION, and LAND USE policies promoting affordable housing, water justice, green construction, fire safety, and respect for the land sovereignty of Indigenous peoples.
- FOOD systems at UC to be re-envisioned by increasing sustainable sourcing and reducing the consumption of animal products.
- WASTE and procurement accountability systems that promote reuse, recycling, and composting toward a zero-waste system.
- LABOR practices that use union labor, guarantee a living wage, and justice for workers impacted by the change from an extractive to a regenerative economy.
- ACCOUNTABILITY and TRANSPARENCY in the way UC is governed, including extending UC’s commitment to divesting from fossil fuels.
- EDUCATION and practical training about climate to be offered across the UC system that includes the scientific, social, geopolitical, and economic dimensions of the crisis, centered on the voices of the dispossessed.
- FUNDING possibilities to pay for the UC Green New Deal from federal, state, legislative, and philanthropic sources.
The full UC Green New Deal Policy Platform is available here: http://bit.ly/UCGNDPolicyPlatform
— The UC Green New Deal Coalition and its undersigned supporters