Real Climate Plans Don’t Give Big Oil a Free Pass

Santa Barbara County’s proposed 2030 Climate Action Plan challenges the community to cut our emissions in half but leaves out the one industry most responsible for climate pollution in the county and the world — the oil and gas industry. Ventura and Los Angeles counties don’t have this dirty loophole. Santa Barbara County supervisors should demand a fix when it’s up for approval on August 27.

The goal itself is fine. Reducing greenhouse gas pollution 50 percent by 2030 (below 2018 levels) is in line with what the global community agrees is necessary to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. The problem lies in how the county is tallying pollution and measuring success at reaching the goal. Using twisted logic, they are leaving out the biggest polluters and contributors to the problem — Exxon/Sable, Cat Canyon producers like HVI (previously Greka), and all other oil and gas facilities.

That makes the exercise unfair and untrue. It’s unfair because all the rest of us are challenged to reduce emissions, while the oil industry is off the hook. And it’s untrue because we need a neutral tally of all community greenhouse gas pollution so that we can accurately see how we’re doing over time.