climate change Archives

June 4, 1:30 PM! Hearing on Climate Change #AllEyesOnJuliana👀

ninth Circuit hearing on climate

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Portland, Oregon heard the constitutional youth climate lawsuit, Juliana v. United States, on June 4, 2019. Counsel for youth plaintiffs, Julia Olson, argued on their behalf and an attorney from the Department of Justice argued on behalf of the federal government. The League of Women Voters supports the young people in their climate lawsuit against the US Government. You can view a recording of the hearing here.

What It’s about

In 2015, 21 young Americans filed a lawsuit ( Juliana v. United States) against the federal government for knowingly contributing to climate change and violating their constitutional rights. The Juliana v. US lawsuit established that young people have a constitutional right to “a climate system capable of sustaining human life.” That right is being violated.

the Portland Rally!

Hundreds of people rallied in Portand and watched a livestream of oral arguments at Director Park in downtown Portland. There was a press conference with the young plaintiffs following the hearing. In March 2019, Multnomah County, OR, filed a brief supporting the plaintiffs. Chair Kafoury and Multnomah Commissioners attended the rally.

The YouTube video of the hearing had 4,890 views by the evening of June 4.

Clean Energy Qualifies for Ballot!

Progress for Clean Energy in Portland!

The League of Women Voters of Portland supports this clean energy measure. We are pleased to share this press release from the campaign.

Press Release – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, July 27, 2018

Contact: Damon Motz-Storey 303.913.5634 damon@oregonpsr.org

Portland Clean Energy Fund Campaign Officially Qualifies for November 2018 Ballot

(PORTLAND, OR) – The Portland City Auditor Elections Division sent news late today that the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PDX 04, the “Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Initiative 2018”) received enough valid Portland voter signatures to qualify for the November 2018 ballot. A sampling of 55,509 submitted signatures revealed 39,755 valid signatures, over 5,000 more than the 34,156 signature threshold for the City of Portland. The announcement means that Portland voters will decide this Fall on funding clean energy projects including housing upgrades, living-wage jobs and job training, and green infrastructure.

“The people of Portland have spoken: the time is now for good jobs, healthy homes, and a clean energy future,” said chief petitioner Reverend E.D. Mondainé, President of the NAACP Portland Branch and Pastor of the Celebration Tabernacle Church in North Portland. “Our broad and diverse community achieved something truly great in submitting far more than enough signatures for this historic measure. We look forward to victory at the ballot this November.”

The Portland Clean Energy Fund would raise more than $30 million per year to support energy efficiency housing upgrades, jobs and job training in clean energy, and new solar power and green infrastructure. The measure will prioritize funding for housing upgrades and living-wage jobs for all underserved Portlanders, particularly low-income residents and people of color. The Portland Clean Energy Fund would be funded by a 1% business license surcharge that would only apply to mega-retailers with more than $1 billion per year in nation-wide gross revenue

More than 150 organizations and businesses and over 50 elected officials, public figures, and faith leaders have endorsed the Portland Clean Energy Fund Campaign.

A full list of endorsements, more information, and the full text of the initiative is available at www.portlandcleanenergyfund.com.

Reducing Portland’s Carbon Footprint – Highlights

Highlights Videos

This short video on Reducing Our Carbon Footprint is one of a series of videos that are excerpts from longer recordings of forums. We take the most interesting statements from the panel discussions.

What you can learn about reducing your carbon footprint

Find out what you, your city and your business can do to protect our planet. How can we cut carbon emissions and limit the harm to our environment, climate and health? Three speakers talk about what the City of Portland, Oregon businesses and individuals are doing now. Then they discuss their visions for the future. There are many exciting ideas about how our lives will change in the next few decades, if we want to reduce the harm caused by carbon emissions.

Watch the best 20 minutes of this discussion by clicking the arrow below.

Signing Initiative Petitions

Signature Gatherers want you to sign!

It’s that time of year. People with clipboards (including some League members) are asking voters to sign petitions to put ballot measures on the November ballot. Should you sign? You definitely should think about whether you really support the petition and would like it to become law. Ask for an explanation of what the measure would do and read the ballot title. The League of Women Voters cautions you to “Think Before You Ink.” Here’s some information to consider before you sign.

The league is supporting some initiatives

Portland Clean Energy Fund

As of July 6, this initiative appears to have enough signatures to qualify for the November ballot. The Portland LWV supports this proposal. Our support is based on our Climate Change and Equality of Opportunity positions. It would fund renewable energy and energy efficiency projects and clean-energy jobs training for disadvantaged workers. Income for the Fund would be from a 1% supplemental business license surcharge on large retail corporations with over $1 billion a year in national revenue and $500,000 in Portland sales. (Revenue from groceries and medicine would be exempted.)

Initiative 43, regulating sales of assault weapons

Our support of this initiative was based on our position on gun safety. However, the coalition of clergy members, youth and other advocates, “Lift Every Voice,” has withdrawn the initiative and will refile it for 2020. The initiative proposed two steps to make Oregon a safer place. The first was to require semiautomatic weapons and large capacity magazines to be registered by responsible gun owners. The second step would have been to prohibit the future sale of these weapons and magazines in Oregon. This effort is delayed, but not over.

Videos of Highlights from 2017-18 Civic Programs

What are Highlights Videos?

Highlights videos are shortened versions of recorded panel discussions about important civic issues. The League presents these panel discussions during many months of the year. The full discussions often last more than an hour. But now you can see a shorter version with the most important points. Highlights videos are typically 20 minutes long.