Project 2

YYYYYY Community advocates call on cities and state to protect climate, health and jobs from fast-approaching oil crisis California communities and workers face an escalating climate jobs crisis that we can forestall by scaling down oil refining for export over the next few years starting now, says a community- sponsored research report, released today. “Starting sooner allows state climate targets to be met by cutting oil use more gradually, which makes transitions that protect workers and communities possible and climate goals feasible,” said Greg Karras, who authored the report for Communities for a Better Environment (CBE). “The Climate Crisis is here and now” said Andrés Soto, Richmond Environmental Justice Advocate. “This report makes clear what we have been saying for years, communities like Richmond must start now on planning our Just Transition away from refinery-based economics and plan for the changes we need to redesign our communities and save the planet,” Soto said. The report shows that the scientific consensus which holds that oil use must be cut rapidly to stabilize global heating at 1.5–2oC applies to the situation in California. Among its findings: • Petroleum energy emits more carbon than all other activities in California combined. • Clean energy alternatives to petroleum can provide more jobs than petroleum energy. • Oil refining rates must be cut at least 80% by mid-century to meet state climate targets, even if all non-petroleum emissions are cut to their share of those targets. • California refineries import crude to export fuels; from 2013–2017 they imported 66% of the oil they refined and exported 20–33% of the refined fuels they produced. •