Climate Education Campaign

Climate Impacts on People and the Transportation System

This campaign originated from feedback provided by stakeholders to San Joaquin Council of Government staff when a Regional Needs Assessment was done in 2021. People asked for public education on climate impacts and local resources to help them better understand this issue. In addition, this campaign will serve as a precursor to a new Regional Climate Collaborative project (RCC). The Regional Climate Collaborative project is also a response to stakeholder feedback during the Regional Needs Assessment. Stakeholders asked for more coordination of efforts in San Joaquin County to increase awareness of climate impacts, and seek funding for projects to provide solutions to these impacts in the most vulnerable communities.

Why does this matter? Climate impacts such as floods, wildfires and extreme heatevents can threaten and destroy lives and property. Climate impacts can also degrade transportation infrastructure such as roads and bridges that people depend upon to travel.

What is this project about? This project is intended to increase awareness of climate impacts to people’s health and to the movement of people and goods on the region’s transportation systems. The SJCOG's Regional Resiliency Implementation Plan recommended an education/awareness campaign on the climate’s impact on the transportation system of San Joaquin County. 

What will this project do? This project will measure the general public’s knowledge of the climate’s impacts on people and transportation systems and seek to increase that knowledge. This project will also increase awareness of available local resources to plan for, cope with, and find assistance after emergencies. Project activities include surveys, workshops, and tabling at community events.

Timeline

Discoveries

• 161 surveys were collected online. 60% of the general public survey takers were mainly located in Stockton, CA, about 8% of survey takers were from Tracy, CA, and 28 people were surveyed at two in-person events in Stockton.
• Over 50% of survey takers have a general understanding of familiarity with climate terminology used in this project. There is even more interest in learning about other climate related impacts and how individuals can take actions and see how the community and local government is responding. View the online survey results here.
• The team tabled at 7 events in Stockton and 1 in Tracy. 

What is next?

The Regional Climate Collaborative will be using this collected data from this project for the betterment of their outreach and extra guidance in climate awareness, education, preparedness and network building. The data from this project can be used to help guide future outreach and community education about climate impacts and disaster preparedness.