policy advocacy Impact
Statewide & Regional
2026
Successfully advocated for Measure D - the Santa Clara Valley Wildfire Protection, Clean Water, and Open Space Act – which would generate about $17 million annually for the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority (OSA). This voter-initiated measure passed with 55% of the vote.
Advocated for the Bay Area Air Quality District to uphold a future ban on fossil fuel appliances
Worked with a partners like Fossil Free California, Pacifica Climate Committee, Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter and 350 Silicon Valley to encourage Santa Clara County to divest from fossil fuels. On April 28th, Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to limit future investments in fossil fuel companies.
Co-sponsored our first ever bill with State Senator Becker - SB1048 State Seal of Climate Literacy that would recognize the importance of climate literacy
2025 and Earlier
In partnership with County Supervisor Otto Lee & Santa Clara County Office of Sustainability & Resilience, SVYCA hosted a Community Roundtable, titled "Converging for a Sustainable Future: Federal Impacts & Local Climate Solutions." There were over 100 participants.
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 2024, 4 bills we supported were signed into law
In 2023, 12 bills we supported were signed into law, 7 bills we opposed did not moved forward
In 2022, 6 bills we supported were signed into law, 3 bills we opposed did not move forward
For details: https://www.svyouthclimateaction.org/state-advocacy-team
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:
Investment in resources toward the County Office of Sustainability, including staffing positions
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.
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 organized 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
2026
The San Jose Team was chosen for a $50,000 grant from the City of San José's Zero Waste Innovation program for an initiative to reduce the use of disposable cups throughout the city.
After more than a year of work, and in partnership between the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, the Fremont Union High School District, and SVYCA, the launch of a Youth Transit Pass pilot program made possible for approximately 2000 youth in the Fremont Union High School District. Press Release
2025
Our Morgan Hill-Gilroy Youth Climate Action team hosted a series of Educator's Climate Change Workshops designed in partnership with the Santa Clara County Office of Education and funded by a grant from Silicon Valley Clean Energy which supportededucators with expertly designed lesson plans and resources, hands-on activities an cross-curricular content.
Nova Jiraj and Prisha Gupta from our SVYCA Los Gatos team! Last week they both spoke before of the Los Gatos City Council in support of REACH Codes supporting the transition from traditional furnace or AC units to heat pumps, high-efficiency AC units, and building energy improvements.
Our Sunnyvale City Action team spoke in front of Sunnyvale City Council in favor of adding buffered bike lanes on Hollenbeck. For four of our Sunnyvale team members, this was their very first time speaking in front of city council. The bike lanes were approved.
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.
Our Santa Clara Team successfully advocated for safer, buffered bike lanes on Pruneridge Avenue and Lafayette Street.
Our San Mateo Team successfully advocated for the San Mateo City Council to commit to Socially-Responsible Investing policies.
Our Cupertino Team successfully advocated for and supported The Homestead Road Safe Routes to School Improvements Project to upgrade bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and make it safer for students to walk and bike to school.
Our San Jose Team successfully advocated to pass a City Reach Code requiring Electric Vehicle charging access in most new apartment buildings, effectively protecting residents from heavy markups on commercial charging stations and facilitating EV adoption.
Our Nature Based Solutions Team successfully advocated against the expansion of the Palo Alto Airport into bayland habitat.
2022 and Earlier
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