Every year, the West plunges deeper into a new climate reality. The wildfires that started Jan. 7 and swept Southern California, taking at least 25 lives, are a resounding reminder of the compounding impacts of changing atmospheric conditions.
One of the fastest ways to stop the climate crisis is to burn fewer fossil fuels, replacing them with renewable sources like wind and solar. Though renewable energy poses fewer long-term health risks than oil and gas, the energy transition, with its dozens of new developments, will inevitably change local industries and the environment. As green energy projects proliferate in the West, some communities are pushing back against the speed of development and seeking more information before they offer their support.
Katherine Hoff, a research fellow at the University of California Berkeley’s Center for Law, Energy and the Environment, has…
