Recent News

Developing a Better Understanding of the Future of our Region’s Water

Our region has a long and rich history of community pride and protection of our region’s clean air and water, and quality of life. But our arid region faces significant challenges from climate change and its potential impacts on future water supplies. In fact, local scientists find that our major sources of water – the Colorado River and the rivers of Northern California – could shrink by 20% or more in the coming decades, making it even more difficult to meet the water demands of our growing region.

With this challenge in mind, The San Diego Foundation co-funded a partnership between the San Diego County Water Authority and USCD's Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), to better understand how climate variability and climate change will affect local precipitation patterns and demand for water in what will be a warmer future. Findings of this study will be incorporated into the Water Authority’s next update of its Urban Water Management Plan to ensure the Water Authority's water supplies, infrastructure, and services will accommodate the potential impacts of climate change.

To share the findings of this partnership with community leaders, The Foundation partnered with the San Diego County Water Authority and UCSD's SIO to conduct a series of three tours, with a fourth occuring this month. Almost 60 leaders from government, business, as well as community and civic organizations attended tours held in June at the construction site of San Vicente Dam, the largest dam raise in the U.S. The tours illustrated the types of investments we can make by working together, and to ensure our region’s water supply is resilient to a changing climate and other risks.

Click here to watch a video about this partnership and its impacts.

Blasker-Rose-Miah Fund Grants $135,000 to Advance our Region’s Understanding of Climate Change

Since 2008, as part of its effort to advance regional efforts to address climate change, the Environment program’s Blasker Environment Grants Fund and the Engel & Hervey Family Funds have supported research on the potential local impacts of global climate change and ways to reduce our local greenhouse gas emissions and minimize climate change impacts.

This year, with the generous support of the Engel and Hervey Family Funds, the Environment program’s Blasker-Rose-Miah Fund granted $135,000 to support the following three research projects:

The San Diego Natural History Museum – to support research lead by Phil Unitt, on Understanding and Managing the Effects of Wildfire on the Birds and Mammals of Southern California.

San Diego State University, Graduate School of Public Health – to support research led by Rick Gersberg, on Modeling the Impact of Global Climate Change on Vulnerable Populations of San Diego County.

University of San Diego, Energy Policy Initiatives Center – to support research led by Scott Anders, on Greenhouse Gas Mitigation and Cost Effectiveness Tool: A Standardized Approach to Help Cities Develop Climate Action Plans.

Previous News

June 2012

2011 Climate Change Public Opinion Survey Released

The San Diego Regional Climate Education Partnership commissioned a countywide public opinion survey of more than 1,000 San Diego residents to better understand their views of climate science and the impacts of climate change. Overall, the survey found that San Diegans are consistently more aware than others throughout the US that climate change is occurring, and that it poses significant threats to the region’s oceans, clean air and water supplies, especially for future generations.

This research reaffirms many of the findings from a similar survey The San Diego Foundation commissioned in 2010, when voters strongly (7 in 10) stated support for our region taking a leadership position in setting goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The San Diego Foundation is one of five organizations involved in the San Diego Regional Climate Education Partnership working together with community leaders to create a climate education program with innovative and targeted messages for the groups they represent in the San Diego region. The Partnership is led by the University of San Diego, and includes representatives also from California State University, San Marcos, Scripps Institution of Oceanography and The Steve Alexander Group.

Click here to download the executive summary of the 2011 research findings.
 

Click here for more information about the San Diego Regional Climate Education Partnership
 

Click here to read coverage about the polling in the Union Tribune

March 2012

Sea Level Rise Strategy for San Diego Bay Released

Supported by a grant from The San Diego Foundation’s Climate Initiative, a consortium of governments and nonprofits have recently released the Sea Level Rise Adaptation Strategy for San Diego Bay. This project is just one example of how the San Diego region’s local governments, businesses and nonprofits are coming together through philanthropy in an unprecedented way to deal with the challenge of climate change.

The Adaptation Strategy was prepared by ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability after facilitating a collaborative, year-long process which engaged many of the major public agencies and private sector representatives with an interest in the future of San Diego Bay. The project was overseen by a steering committee of representatives from the San Diego Airport, Port of San Diego and its five member cities, in order to assess how best to protect the region’s spectacular natural resources and enviable quality of life, given the projected local impacts from climate change.

Sea levels - already up six inches since 1900 - are expected to rise an additional 12 to 18 inches in the next 40 years according to research by Scripps Institution of Oceanography. This report will serve as a guide for bayfront agencies to incorporate into their plans, policies, programs, and capital improvement projects. Through a partnership with the Kresge Foundation, The San Diego Foundation has awarded this partnership a second grant to continue coordination and begin implementation of the ten recommendations.

Click here to download the executive summary report.

Click here to download the complete report.

Environment Program Receives Funding to Keep Greening Our Region

We are pleased to announce that the Kresge Foundation has awarded a $150,000 grant to The San Diego Foundation’s Climate Initiative to continue its leadership in helping the region prepare for climate change. This marks the first grant the Kresge Foundation has awarded to The San Diego Foundation. The Climate Initiative has also received critical support from the Bank of America, the Qualcomm Foundation, and other local donors.

To date, The San Diego Foundation has invested more than $1.5 million in grants for research, technical expertise, and community efforts. This work will advance the region’s leadership in setting goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while decreasing local vulnerability to potential effects of global warming on the local economy and quality of life. For example, with a grant from The San Diego Foundation, ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability began work last year with the Port of San Diego and five cities around San Diego Bay to assess the most prudent strategies to prepare for rising sea levels. Catalyzed in-part by philanthropic investments from The San Diego Foundation, the region has already seen many “firsts” in the country to address climate change.

With funding from organizations such as the Kresge Foundation and the Qualcomm Foundation, the Climate Initiative will continue to invest in the region's leadership to prepare for climate change.

A Decade of Emily Young’s Work Received National Recognition

I am pleased to announce that Dr. Emily Young, Senior Director, Environmental Analysis and Strategy for The San Diego Foundation, was the recipient of the 2011 Nicholas P. Bollman Award. This national honor recognizes Emily for her environmental leadership in the San Diego region. Her work fuses the principles of smart growth and climate change issues to address the myriad of challenges facing San Diego’s air, water and land. Known as a unifying force, Emily reaches across boundaries and builds strong and enduring partnerships to achieve common goals. Her efforts have increased the funding, capacity and reach of The San Diego Foundation and its grantees and produced robust on-the-ground results. A leader who inspires real change, Emily also inspires people to imagine that a healthier, safer San Diego is within reach for all.

San Diego: Fastest Growing Region for Clean Jobs

Industries account for one in ten jobs

San Diego County stands out as an established leader in California in the remodeling of the business environment to leverage the growing clean economy according to The San Diego Foundation’s research. All trends indicate that clean energy and technology industries will be major job creators in the region for years to come.

The report, “Economic Vitality: Clean Jobs in the San Diego Region,” analyzed past studies and interviewed employers, public officials, industry associations and experts to find out what drives the clean jobs industry in San Diego.

“The green economy in San Diego County is still in development, but it’s on the rise. Our findings show that one in ten jobs will be linked to green industries and that traditional industries are starting to change in order to take advantage of emerging technologies,” said Laura Coleman, author of the study. “Eventually we’ll stop saying green, and just call it industry.”

According to the report, the San Diego region has attracted $445 million in clean technology venture capital in the last five years, serving as a vital jobs creator in the region. The National Venture Capital Association estimates that each $100 million in venture capital funding helps create 2,700 jobs.

“These emerging industries are a bright spot for our region’s economy and quality of life,” said Scott Peters, Chair of The San Diego Foundation’s Climate Initiative and CleanTECH San Diego board member.

The study finds that San Diego County’s strong, green economy and subsequent job growth is supported by several key factors, including: significant local venture capital investment in regional clean-tech companies; state and local policy that creates more opportunities for development; local demand for installing renewable energy, and improvements in energy efficiency technologies. “San Diego is steadily establishing itself as a leader in the emerging clean technology industry,” said Mayor Jerry Sanders. “With our entrepreneurial business culture, an educated workforce and plenty of skilled labor, our region is ideal for supporting this vibrant new sector.”The report indicates a majority of clean jobs require less than two years of education or training, and that San Diego already has a prepared workforce that has transferrable skills.

“The San Diego region is strongest in renewable energy,” Coleman said. “But the area’s emphasis on innovation in its thriving biotech industry can lead to developments in areas like biofuels, another sub-sector this region is known for.”

To review the Clean Jobs report click here.

The San Diego Union-Tribune ran an two Opinion Editorial on the report’s findings as well as the strength and impact of green jobs on our economy.

Robert García Receives Prestigious Award

The San Diego Foundation would like to congratulate Robert García, Founding Director of The City Project, for being awarded the American Public Health Association’s (APHA) prestigious Presidential Citation. Not an annual award, the APHA honors exceptional individuals with unusual merit. Through empowering communities throughout California, expanding human health and the environment, and promoting economic vitality, García’s work with The City Project is justifiably extraordinary. Founded in 2000 and based in Los Angelese, The City Project is a nonprofit organization that focuses its efforts on equal access to parks and playgrounds, quality education, public health and transit. Under García’s direction, The City Project is working to achieve social justice, democracy, and livability for all.

Recently, The San Diego Foundation and The City Project collaborated to create the Parks for Everyone report, which highlights the disparities that exist in San Diego with respect to access to green space. The report found that the most park-poor areas of the region are also the areas with the highest concentrations of low-income households, people of color, and childhood obesity.

Robert García is no stranger to the arena of social justice and advocacy for humanity. In 2008, he was recognized as one of the 100 most influential Latinos in the United States by Hispanic Business Magazine, and he has received numerous awards, including the President’s Award from the California Attorneys for Criminal Justice.

Park  For Everyone Event

The San Diego Foundation’s Environment Program partnered with The City Project, REI, the Fletcher Family fund, and the Hattie Ettinger Conservation Fund, and many local nonprofit organizations to gain a better understanding of the state of green access in the San Diego Region. Parks for Everyone, integrated geographic, demographic, and economic data to understand how accessible our parks are and explored how to enhance accessibility to ensure that every neighborhood can benefit from the outdoors. An exclusive reception to highlight and celebrate Parks for Everyone was held on Thursday, September 29 at Tecolote Canyon Park and Nature Center. The wine and cheese event gathered Foundation donors, Board of Governors, members of the Environment Working Group, and Friends of The Foundation and elected officials.

To review the Parks for Everyone report click here.

Parks for Everyone Martin Luther King Jr. Event

The San Diego Foundation partnered with REI, The San Diego River Park Foundation and Youth and Civic Leaders Living Actively San Diego to organize community service days that brought kids to natural areas in our region.