Message from CCA's President: Climate, race and poverty

September 23, 2005

by CCA President and CEO Tim Carmichael

Hurricane Katrina, its impact, and the response highlight some of the greatest challenges for humanity – global warming, race relations, and inequities between rich and poor.

Katrina may turn out to be a near-term impact of global warming. Policy discussions and media stories on global warming generally focus on long-term impacts, such as changes in temperature and sea levels, 100 years from now. We hear a lot less about those near-term impacts we can expect, such as more violent weather, when we pump pollution into the air.

Hurricane Katrina was one of the most ferocious storms in the last 100 years. Resist the temptation to discount it as an isolated event and remember Ivan, Charley, and Andrew. How many hurricanes must we identify as “the most costly storm on record” before we connect the dots and take meaningful action to reduce pollution?

We have the technologies, and we know what needs to change. In California, the most meaningful environmental change we can make is to reduce our dependence on petroleum. The question is: “do we have the will to change?”

The federal government’s response to Katrina was slow. A majority of black Americans believe that race played a role in the inadequate response. It is necessary that advocates recognize this, and consider how it affects advocacy in California and across the nation. What matters most is not words or promises, but action. The same truth applies to each of us.

The storm also exposed the great inequities that still exist within the richest country in the world. Poor people throughout the Gulf Coast were disproportionately impacted by Katrina’s devastation. However, poverty is not just a problem in the South. How are the poor doing in your community? It is not okay that California, the richest state in the richest country in the world, fails to ensure that everyone has access to food, housing, health care, and air that is safe to breathe.

No individual or single advocacy organization will solve these serious problems on their own. Only through collaboration can we confront, and ultimately solve, the big issues we face – whether they be poverty, racism, environmental challenges, or all three. As we continue to learn from the brave folks who move forward fairly and honestly after Katrina, within collaboration lies the solution. We appreciate your support and look forward to continuing to work with you.

Tim Carmichael,
President and CEO,
Coalition for Clean Air