policy advocacy Impact

Statewide & Regional

  • Our State Advocacy Team meets with legislators and their staff to provide input on a wide variety of state bills. In collaboration with key environmental groups and other key stakeholders, we made a big impact:

    • In 2020, successful in advocating for the bills AB841, AB2287, AB3214, AB3074, AB3163 that were signed into law by CA Governor and successful in opposing AB1002 and AB3279

    • In 2021, successfully advocated for the bills SB343, SB596, SB68, AB1346, AB1276, AB525, AB962, AB73, AB1201

  • The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors on Oct 5, 2021 moved forward with Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action's three recommendations:

    1. Investment in resources toward the County Office of Sustainability, including staffing positions

    2. Establishment of a Santa Clara County Sustainability Commission for collaboratively engaging key stakeholders. UPDATE: After several years of continued outreach, this commission was established in Jan 2024, and includes two youth spots which are filled by SVYCA youth leaders.

    3. Partnership with the Santa Clara County Office of Education to support comprehensive Environmental Literacy and Education across our county, including opportunities for students to get involved

  • Worked to get Climate Emergency declarations passed in San José and Santa Clara County

  • Our Transit Team continues to organize dozens of students to speak publicly at Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Board and Committee meetings. Successfully advocated for impactful policies, including:

    • In early 2023, we were invited to the VTA’s community celebration to highlight our organization’s advocacy work and appreciation for providing public comments. See VTA’s blog here (we are mentioned as being the initial advocate to encourage VTA to draft a climate action plan).

    • Declaring a climate emergency and draft a comprehensive sustainability plan, one of the most progressive and comprehensive climate action plans in the Country, putting $118 million towards bold sustainable transportation initiatives

    • More just and equitable bike and pedestrian funding, advocating VTA to shift bond money from highway expansion to public transits. Collaborated with other transit advocates for regional transit improvements and funding from federal agencies

    • Passing 1) a "Future Ballot Measure" policy to prevent transit operations from being underfunded in the future and 2) a "Naming Rights Marketing Authorization" which will help generate revenue to save transit in Santa Clara County

    • Advocating that the VTA SR85 Corridor Policy Advisory Board to recommend that VTA avoids adding lanes to Highway 85 and instead adds sustainable public transit

  • Presented at the Fremont Union High School District School Board meeting requesting 1) A district Climate Action Plan 2) an FUHSD environmental advisory board and 3) comprehensive climate literacy throughout the District in 2022. Successful in advocating for the establishment of the FUHSD Climate Action Team and progress towards applying for a Green Ribbon Schools award

city-level

  • One of SVYCA’s Peninsula Clean Energy Interns, Chiara Luey spoke to the Sequoia Union High School District Board in May, 2025 to advocate for a clean energy resolution.

  • Students testified at the San Jose City Council Budget meeting in June of 2025 in favor of favor of adequate and continued funding for Climate Smart San Jose. This was part of a much longer campaign that the San Jose Action team undertook to advocate for continued funding for the Climate Smart program. Member Kanika Rawat details the San José Action teams efforts supporting Climate Smart San Jose in the blog.

  • On August 16th, 2022 the Cupertino City Council adopted an updated Climate Action Plan 2.0, establishing a carbon neutral by 2040 goal and containing ambitious measures. The Cupertino Youth Climate Action Team, the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter, the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society and other community members have been actively engaged in Cupertino's CAP update since 2020. Together we pressured the City to accelerate the carbon neutrality target by 5 years (from an original goal of carbon neutral by 2045) and supported strong measures for equitable existing building decarbonization and ecological restoration.

  • Helped bring aggressive Building Electrification Codes to San José, Los Altos, Cupertino, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, San Mateo, and Santa Clara in collaboration with the Fossil Free Building Coalition and many local climate groups. City staff and leaders agree, our Youth Climate Action Teams are making a difference across our county and beyond

  • Presented a Climate Crisis Package to the City of Cupertino which is being implemented. Continued work with the City to pass and implement their first Single-Use Plastics Ordinance

  • Participated in the Climate Action Plan development and implementation process in San José, Santa Clara, and Sunnyvale

  • The Morgan Hill Youth Climate Action Team successfully defended Morgan Hill's Natural Gas ban from an attempted repeal

  • The Santa Clara team successfully advocated for class 4 bike lanes on Pruneridge & Lafayette

  • Established a partnership with Ulistac to restore the natural area in Santa Clara