Sustainability commissioner reaches across border

The city of Chula Vista is regularly recognized by the public and the environmental community for their sustainability measures. These efforts include a Climate Action Plan to address the threat of climate change, transitioning to solar energy design for newer buildings and the recently approved Water Stewardship program that addresses water scarcity issues.

“We’ve been recognized as one of the 10 most important cities around the world in terms of the implementation of sustainability,” said Chula Vista sustainability commissioner Oscar Romo.
While Chula Vista has a true sustainability model of success, the sustainability commission —which provides citizens’ advice to the city council in areas of energy and water conservation, resource recovery and other sustainability issues —hopes others can also catch on like their neighbors across the border.

Romo has for the better part of a decade worked with the government of Baja California and the municipality of Tijuana in creating a sustainability commission for Tijuana.

Last year, Baja California’s Secretary of Environmental Protection visited a Chula Vista Sustainability Commission meeting to observe it and also took a tour of the city to view its sustainability measures.

“We started a conversation where the state of Baja California is trying to be inspired by what the city of Chula Vista is doing (with sustainability),” Romo said.

In the next several months a commission in Tijuana will be implemented, a commission that Romo says will be similar to the one in Chula Vista.

Romo, a natural design consultant for the nonprofit Alter Terra, said that a sustainability commission was just approved by the Tijuana municipal government, but before the commission becomes operational, the government must allow 100 days before they openly invite members to sit on the commission.

Although a commission in Tijuana is set to launch, Romo said there are still some details that need to be worked out.

For instance, he said, the screening of applicants will need some changes.

Romo said right now anyone can sit on the Tijuana commission but would later like to see specific requirements for candidates. In Chula Vista, Romo said, candidates upon applying must write a letter stating why they want to be a commissioner; the city council then decides if a candidate fits the standard to become a commissioner. In Tijuana, Romo said, anyone could be on the commission, even people who do not have experience in sustainability.

Romo, a sustainability professor at UC San Diego, said sustainability has three concepts: environmental, social and economic.

He said what makes Chula Vista the leader in sustainability is that the city values its relationship with its commission which focuses on  those three components. He said Chula Vista has promoted a sustainable city where you can conduct business, live comfortably with a good quality of life.

He said a sustainability commission is needed in Tijuana because their government is behind in sustainability measures.

“Since I’ve been working in Tijuana, I’ve noticed that the concept of sustainability varies in Tijuana, it’s not as elaborated, particularly by the government,” he said. “People understand what sustainability is but the government still thinks that sustainability is only about environmental protection so they do not see this connection of how taking care the environment benefits the economy and benefits the citizens.”

Romo said he will continue to assist the Tijuana commission in the decision making process such as the implementation of sustainability projects. He said once the commission gets established, he wants to invite them to a Chula Vista sustainability meeting. He said he would like to see both commissions work together to create a regional sustainability council, which will be partially in Chula Vista and partially in Tijuana.

“This is one region, within the region the city of Chula Vista is the lead city in terms of sustainability,” Romo said. “We want to help the city of Tijuana to also evolve in that process.”