Here in San Diego, California, we are well behind the world’s leading innovators in transportation, and even rank poorly in our own country.  If the city has any hope to develop in a resilient fashion, it must start with reliable transit options since the system is so directly related to critical issues such as health, economics, and the environment.

Most importantly, to fight climate change, we must wean ourselves off our dependence on the automobile and reinvent the way we view transit. While public transportation is becoming more popular as a whole in the US, San Diego’s ridership numbers have actually stalled over the past few years, with many residents still opting to commute to work in their single occupancy vehicles.  In addition, San Diego ranks poorly in transportation infrastructure, air quality, and safety.  

In order to build a more resilient energy system, it is essential for us to shift our energy reliance from fossil fuels to renewable sources. Residential energy use in the U.S. is about six times that of the world, where most of the sources are fossil fuels. San Diego’s largest energy source is natural gas, which accounts for over 60% of its energy supply, while renewables make up only 19%. A majority of San Diego’s renewable energy comes from wind and geothermal sources. San Diego’s wind and geothermal potential alone can satisfy the city’s peak demand of 4500 MW of electricity. This reality creates a strong case for renewable development and integration in our region.