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Four Reasons to Vote Yes on Prop 4
A $10 billion bond will help protect California's biodiversity and address climate change. Hear why Academy scientists are voting yes on Prop 4.
October 1, 2024
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UPDATE: Prop 4 passed! On November 5, 57% of California voters said YES to making urgent investments in biodiversity protection and climate resilience. The Academy is grateful to everyone who contributed to the passage of this historic bond. Let's get to work!
With a destructive fire season scorching over one million acres and the hottest summer on record baking much of the state, the climate crisis is impacting every corner of California. On November 5, California voters have the power to do something about it.
Proposition 4 is a $10 billion bond that will help protect California’s unparalleled biodiversity, cherished natural wonders, and thriving communities against the worst effects of climate change.
By investing in proven strategies that reduce the intensity and destructiveness of wildfires, prepare coastal areas for rising and warming waters, expand climate-friendly parkland, and engage Californians on the environmental crises that impact us all, we can save lives and billions of dollars in disaster response.
Many people today are pessimistic about humanity’s ability to address climate change and other ecological challenges. Yet there is much reason for hope. Powerful solutions are in sight. Prop. 4 puts many of these solutions to work in California, devoting critical funding to respond to climate-related threats while protecting our wondrous biodiversity for generations to come. Vote yes on Prop 4.
—Scott Sampson, Executive Director, California Academy of Sciences, and Author, How to Raise a Wild Child
While Prop 4 contends with climate threats through many different strategies, the following four are most closely aligned with the Academy’s mission, priorities, and scientific expertise—and have us most excited to vote YES.
1. Prop 4 boosts forest health and wildfire resilience
The problem: Decades of aggressive fire suppression combined with a warming climate mean California’s wildfires burn longer, faster, and with greater intensity than ever before, with devastating impacts on nearby communities, public health, forest ecosystems, and first responders.
The solution: Prop 4 includes $1.5 billion for building firebreaks and defensible space around populated areas, supporting ongoing forest biodiversity research, improving early warning systems, and more.
One-fifth of conifer forests in the Sierras are “zombie forests” that are unlikely to survive our warming and drying climate. I support Prop 4 because it includes $1.5 billion for forest health and wildfire resilience, and is an important step towards minimizing the harm while maximizing the benefits of wildfires for California’s diverse communities, cultures, and ecosystems.
—Avery Hill, Postdoctoral Researcher, California Academy of Science
2. Prop 4 restores marine and coastal ecosystems
The problem: Rising sea levels and ocean temperatures threaten California’s majestic coast, including the animals, plants, and human communities that depend on it.
The solution: Prop 4 includes $1.2 billion to support coastal resilience projects, wetland restoration, and the protection of critical marine habitats home to iconic California fish and marine mammal species.
Kelp forests in California have been hard-hit by cascading effects of climate change, including warming ocean waters. Prop. 4 includes funding to restore these kelp forests and other coastal habitats that are home to thousands of marine species, critical to hundreds of thousands of jobs, and core to our identities as Californians.
—Rebecca Johnson, Director of the Academy’s Thriving California initiative and Center for Biodiversity and Community Science
3. Prop 4 creates parks and green spaces
The problem: It’s not just natural areas: California’s urban and state parks and green spaces are vulnerable to climate change, too. They’re also vital to supporting the physical and mental health of Californians.
The solution: Prop 4 includes $700 million to build new and renovate existing parks and green spaces and ensure they’re prepared for the impacts of climate change.
As an advocate for greater access to nature, I know firsthand how nature can improve the physical and mental health of young people. I'm voting YES on Prop 4 because it includes $700 million for more green space in underserved communities and cities like San Francisco—a win-win for human and environmental health across California.
—Álvaro Palacios Casanova, Coalition Program Manager, California Academy of Sciences
4. Prop 4 boosts climate and biodiversity education
The problem: Biodiversity loss and climate change are severely impacting humans and the natural world. As these impacts intensify, it’s crucial to provide education for the public and build support for climate resilience efforts.
The solution: Prop 4 includes $45 million in grant funding for scientific and educational institutions like the Academy. These funds will support exhibits and other projects to inform diverse populations about the state's actions to protect natural lands, wildlife, and biodiversity.
Historically marginalized communities have been excluded from decisions about how their youth are educated and if and how their built environments include much-needed natural spaces. I’m supporting Prop 4 because it supports education about biodiversity and climate change, and education brings power and opportunities for these historically marginalized voices to be included.
—Estefanía Pihen González, Chief of Education and Learning, California Academy of Sciences
You can help pass Prop 4
We have the power to shift California’s strategy from responding to climate-related disasters to preventing them altogether—but this strategy will only work if we pass Prop 4. Do your part: Vote, learn more, and spread the word!
Vote YES on Prop 4 on November 5!
Learn more about Prop 4
Share online and IRL
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- Share sample posts on X, Facebook, and Instagram
- Practice your talking points and encourage people to vote YES on Prop 4
About the author
Esther Oh serves as Director of Government Affairs at the California Academy of Sciences. With deep experience in public policy, legislation, and program implementation, Esther champions the Academy's mission with policymakers at all levels of government.
Paid for by California Academy of Sciences
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November 30, 2023