Green-Blue New Deal and Just Transition

On July 6, 2021, the Richmond City Council adopted Resolution 88-21 to support the process of developing a Richmond Green-Blue New Deal and Just Transition to 21st Century jobs. In addition, city staff members were directed to prepare a request for proposal (RFP) to hire a consultant team to conduct a one-year to 18-month planning process to develop and facilitate a comprehensive and inclusive public engagement process to co-create the plan to achieve a local Green-Blue New Deal and come back to the Council with a recommendation of such a consultant within 90 days.

Staff Contacts

Shasa Curl

Deputy City Manger, Economic Development

(510) 620-6512

shasa_curl@ci.richmond.ca.us

Samantha Carr

Management Analyst 

(510) 620-6512

samantha_carr@ci.richmond.ca.us

Green-Blue New Deal

As stated in Resolution 88-21:

  • A Green New Deal- “a program of investments in equitable clean-energy jobs and infrastructure, transforming and transitioning not just the energy sector, but the entire economy.” 
  • A Blue Economy- “the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of ocean ecosystems.”
  • Green-Blue New Deal- “must incorporate key sectors of the Blue Economy in order to fully address the climate crisis.”

Just Transition

The Just Transition framework, developed by the Climate Justice Alliance and Movement Generation, can be found here, describes transitioning from an extractive economy to a regenerative economy. The four steps of the cycle are: 1) Resources, 2) Worldview, 3) Purpose, and 4) Governance. To have a living economy, “worldview” must change from consumerism and colonial mindset to caring and sacredness, “purpose” must change from enclosure of wealth and power to ecological and social well-being, “governance” must change from militarism to deep democracy, and “resources” must change from extraction to regeneration.

City Council Documents

COVID-19 Effects on Unemployment

The City of Richmond’s workforce has been greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 caused a surge in unemployment in Richmond with a peaked of 3,412 weekly unemployment claims in late March 2020. Since then, weekly unemployment claims have significantly decreased and have stayed below 500 per week. In February 2020 the Richmond unemployment rate was at 3.3 percent and spiked to 17.10 percent in April 2020. Although there has been some recovery, the Richmond unemployment rate is higher than the Contra Costa County unemployment rate of 6.2 percent and slightly higher than the California unemployment rate of 7.5 percent. 

The City Manager’s Office, Economic Development division is continuously working to promote a competitive, sustainable, and equitable economy for all. City staff members are focused on supporting our community through both the COVID-19 pandemic and in the long-term to maintain the City of Richmond’s vibrancy and diversity.

 Unemployment Rate of the City of Richmond, Contra Costa County, and California

 

Richmond

Contra Costa County

California

February 2020 (%)

3.3

3.1

4.3

April 2021 (%)

17.1

14.5

16

June 2021 (%)

8.7

6.2

7.5