Embracing Need for 'WWII Style Mobilization,' California Set to Go Big on Climate

Following news that legislation aiming to power California solely with renewable energy by 2045 passed the state Senate, bestselling author Naomi Klein joined Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Koretz and community leaders on Wednesday in calling for a "World War II-scale mobilization" to combat climate change and lead the way in developing environmentally safe technology.

"If the city of Los Angeles listens to the voices of communities on the frontlines, and centers racial and economic justice in the way it addresses climate change, this could be an historic leap, with ripples around the world."
--Naomi Klein"Los Angeles took on the needs of the entire United States and much of the world during World War II by embracing wartime mobilization," Koretz said. "Hundreds of thousands of Los Angeles residents not only contributed massively to aircraft and ship manufacturing, they also volunteered to aid the Red Cross by the tens of thousands. I'm calling on all Angelenos to mobilize once again."

The initiative City Councilman Koretz announced on Wednesday will seek to make Los Angeles carbon neutral by 2025. A Climate Justice Mobilization Working Group will also be formed, the Hollywood Patchreported, and it will "partner with the national Climate Mobilization group and try to reach the goals outlined in Canada's LEAP Manifesto," which Klein helped produce.

Since President Donald Trump announced his decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord earlier this month, cities and states across the country have vowed to take action and remain committed to the guidelines of the agreement.

California, the world's sixth largest economy, has emerged as a leader of this coalition.

As Common Dreams recently reported, Gov. Jerry Brown has signed an agreement with China to "position his state not only as a leader on climate action, but as a quasi-nation-state looking to fill the void in reliable American leadership created by Trump."

Klein applauded these moves and argued similar action will be necessary to mitigate the already deleterious effects of climate change and build a sustainable future.

"This announcement today is a remarkable development," Klein said. "If the city of Los Angeles listens to the voices of communities on the frontlines, and centers racial and economic justice in the way it addresses climate change, this could be an historic leap, with ripples around the world."

Watch the announcement:

"I'm asking the creative minds of Los Angeles to join with the grassroots activists in creating the city of the future," Koretz concluded, "not some fictional Tomorrowland, but here, on the ground, in the City of Angels we all love."