Tucson Unified School District adopts new climate action resolution

TUCSON, Ariz. — The Tucson Unified School District now has the most comprehensive school district climate action plan in the country.

After about an hour of contentious discussion, the TUSD board voted 3-2 in favor of the climate resolution.

The Arizona Youth Climate Coalition, a group of students ages 13 to 20, created, researched and lobbied for the resolution. Two AZYCC members even helped present the resolution to the board.

“It’s been 16 months,” Ojs Sanghi, co-chair of AZYCC in Tucson, said after the vote. “So seeing (the resolve to) get to the finish line is like… ‘Is this true?’”

Key points of the resolution include a net zero emissions and zero waste target by 2040, as well as the addition of climate programs in schools. See the full draft AZYCC resolution Here.

Opponents of the resolution were concerned about the possible price. When the resolution was introduced, AZYCC mentioned an estimated implementation cost of $900 million, which discouraged some board members.

The speakers emphasized that this is an estimated number and if the resolution is adopted, they will look for an external consultant who could more accurately estimate the price and benefits of the resolution.

But for some board members, the $900 million estimate was simply too high to vote for.