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Climate activists hold parade in Eugene in support of electric transportation

Melorie Begay/KLCC News

Climate activists drove a fleet of electric vehicles around Eugene Saturday in support of the electrification of transportation, and to push the city to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The event was supported by the Eugene-based electric car company Arcimoto, who lent out a fleet of their Fun Utility Vehicles, or FUVs.   

Patty Hine with 350 Eugene, a climate justice group, said they’re pressing the city and the Eugene Water and Electric Board to take bolder action to reduce emissions by seven percent each year, as laid out in Eugene’s Climate Recovery Ordinance. Specifically, the activists would like to see a ban on new gas infrastructure.

“We’re looking at all the ways to bring all the emissions down and the quickest way to that to reduce our methane emissions which is natural gas is so we don’t think we should be building any new infrastructure for gas because we aren’t going to be able to burn it,” she said. “The climate emergency just won’t allow it so we have to electrify and all the technology is there.”

Hine adds they’re also highlighting calls for the United States, and other wealthy countries to support the global south in reducing emissions.

The topic is likely to come up during the United Nation’s 26th Conference of the Parties, or COP26, in Glasgow, Scotland, where world leaders will discuss climate goals. Activists plan to hold other events in Eugene leading to the conference which saw the signing of the Paris Climate Accord, or agreement in 2016.
Copyright 2021 KLCC

 

Melorie Begay is a multimedia journalist for KLCC News. She was the Inaugural KLCC Public Radio Foundation Journalism Fellow. She has a bachelors in Multimedia Journalism from the University of New Mexico. She previously interned at KUNM public radio in Albuquerque, NM and served as a fellow for the online news publication New Mexico In Depth.