A top White House climate advisor promises the Biden Administration will deal with climate change, but not everyone is convinced.
Gina McCarthy, the Environmental Protection Agency chief in the Obama administration, on Tuesday joined local and federal officials next to the train tracks in Del Mar that have been an issue of concern for local officials for some time.
The ocean is pushing against the coastal bluff and is weakening the foundation of the train tracks that link San Diego to points north.
“The Del Mar bluff failures are a good example of how sea-level rise can impact our transportation network,” said Gustavo Dellarda, Caltrans District 11 director.
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A multi-million dollar repair effort is underway to shore up the train tracks, but local officials say those tracks will likely have to be moved inland.
McCarthy, who was hosted by Rep. Mike Levin (D-Dana Point) said the situation is made worse by climate change and she reiterated the Biden administration’s commitment to following the science.
“The science is clear and it is overwhelming,” Levin said. “Unless clear and immediate action is taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions the average global temperature will cross the 1.5-degree threshold in 20 years.”
That could lead to drastic climate changes that would threaten health, the economy and national security, according to Levin.
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The event also served as a chance to highlight funding for a coastal monitoring radar system that’ll help Scripps Institution of Oceanography researchers better understand coastal erosion.
McCarthy said the administration is making climate a key part of the decision-making process.
“Every decision has to think about climate and equity as a fundamental consideration,” McCarthy said. “And you have a president who came in and on the first day he didn’t just rejoin Paris, but he set goals that we have to keep.”
McCarthy promised aggressive action to deliver the president’s promises to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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She pointed out that solar power was the big winner in the energy marketplace last year and that momentum for renewable power needs to keep building.
A small group of protesters at the Del Mar event argued that the Biden administration is not doing enough.
Climate activists say California is experiencing record heat and record-setting wildfires and the administration still does not have a climate plan.
They want Biden to keep his campaign promise to end all fossil fuel subsidies.
“Stop issuing permits for drilling and other gas and oil-related projects particularly on public, federal lands,” said Walker Foley of the group Food and Water Action.
The activists want the president to declare a climate emergency which would allow him to take bold action to address the climate crisis.
McCarthy, Levin and other officials toured several clean energy and transportation projects before visiting San Diego County’s Emergency Operations Center.
