How to Defend the FNSB Climate Action Plan

Dec 1

Written By Fairbanks Climate Action Coalition

As Fairbanks North Star Borough residents, we are seeing the effects of climate change in sharp relief and have made our desire for climate action measures clear through broad public engagement in the process of developing a common-sense Climate Action and Adaptation Plan over the past year.

Now, despite the popularity of the plan, fringe members of the assembly who are publicly opposed to climate action have taken control of the Climate Action Committee, abruptly dismissing members of the highly qualified Climate Action Committee and replacing them with a group of people who have seemed intent on decimating the plan from the beginning.

The new committee members have now completed making radical cuts to the plan. Their edits have involved the removal of language relating to climate change, emissions, and pollutants, as well as the removal of goals to maintain the safety and accessibility of our roads, sidewalks, and trails in the winter, and discouraging the borough administration from working with the legislature and GVEA.

Here’s how you can help:

We need to hold these decision-makers accountable so they know we won’t be silent as they undermine the work our community has done for our health and safety. We need to speak up vocally and show just how much we support this plan and that we are not going to accept this failure of leadership.

Do these things:

Sign the Petition for the Climate Action Plan’s Adoption: We are gathering signatures to demonstrate our support for a robust plan and to show just how many people care about the version of the plan that our community originally helped to craft. Please sign this petition. Petitions can be surprisingly effective in local issues like this one. After signing, please share with family and friends and on your social media!

Show up to a Climate Action Committee meeting. Currently, many of them don’t allow public testimony, so plan to bring signs to silently protest. Find out the date of the next meeting here.
Write an OpEd to the News-Miner, ADN, or whoever you’d like. The real story of the CAAP is not being told correctly. We can change that. You can sign up and express your interest through this form and one of our organizers will reach out to you to help coordinate.
Share this information with your friends and neighbors. Share this page, or share our social media posts about the CAAP (both on FCAC and the Alaska Center’s accounts). Regardless of the Climate Action Committee’s behavior, this is still our plan. The more people who know and act, the better.
Prepare to mobilize for future actions. If you want to get updates on this next stage of action or if you have any questions, email emma@fbxclimateaction.org.

We started this process with the climate plan resolution passed almost 4 years ago. We’ve seen climate impacts worsen even during those 4 years. We’re not giving up now.

Please join us in showing that as Borough residents, we know what we need for our community, and we’re not willing to settle for less.