An article in the Voice of San Diego this week covers the proposed 2021 Climate Action Plan for San Diego, and how Mayor Todd Gloria intends to reach net zero emissions by 2035. Promises include transitioning buildings to run on electricity rather than gas. The article also mentions a new target of this plan: to restore around 700 acres of salt marsh in the city to capture and bury carbon.
With San Diego and Mayor Gloria making bold commitments to reach carbon neutrality, we need to prioritize parks that are carbon negative! We must lower our emissions as much as possible, but we will also need to conserve and restore habitats that are carbon negative, and tidal wetlands are one of the best on Earth for that! Restoring wetlands and prioritizing carbon sequestration in natural habitats is an essential role for public land. The City should ReWild Mission Bay in its new goal of 700 acres of restored wetlands.