Ashland Mayor Tonya Graham is a true believer in the notion that human-caused emissions of CO2e are the primary cause of the climate changes we have seen since 1850, explaining to me in an email that, “… the science about climate change is settled.”

Science is never settled, and I’d be happy to defend the null hypothesis if the Rouge Valley Times would allow it.

This aligns perfectly with her role as the executive director of the GEOS Institute: “Geos Institute builds innovative systems to help communities access the support services they need to address the climate crisis regardless of their size, location, or wealth.” (https://geosinstitute.org/about-us/) We see the same “climate crisis” language in the Ashland City Council’s description of their proposed amendments to ORD 3252: Amending 14.16.015 to Allow for Conservation Measures, which explains: “The Council has prioritized conservation and climate initiatives to enhance Ashland’s resilience and strengthen its commitment to addressing the climate crisis.” (ashlandor.portal.civicclerk.com/event/162/files/agenda/926) And Mayor Graham explained at a July 15, 2024, Council Study Session regarding anthropogenic climate change, “… it is a crisis, and it is on us.” (videoplayer.telvue.com/player/w9sPsSE7vna3XTN_39bs1rEXjVWF0kfP/media/887730 @3:29:45)

The GEOS Institute’s “Climate Ready America (Feb. 2022)” white paper (geosinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Climate-Ready-America-White-Paper.pdf) begins with: “Globally, we have less than 10 years to transition our energy systems and address increasingly severe climate impacts at scale if we are to head off the worst effects of the climate crisis.” But the reference cited (Global Warming of 1.5°C pg. 32 www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/SR15_Full_Report_HR.pdf) makes no such claim, in fact the report never mentions the “climate crisis.” Rather, the anthropogenic global warming ticking time bomb (less than seven years now!) appears to be the product of the fevered imaginations of the folks at the GEOS Institute. Can you feel it? The crisis is on us, and we only have 7 years to save the planet.

In 2023, the GEOS Institute gave Ms. Graham (its only paid employee at the time) a $29,494 pay raise (a 39% increase) and anonymous donations to GEOS increased from $110,200 in 2022 to $1,766,600 in 2023 (a 1,500% increase), with one donor contributing $1,551,600 and no donation less than $20,000. It is true that GEOS introduced its Climate Ready America program in 2022 and its Southeast Navigator Network in 2023, and I’m not suggesting that Ms. Graham did not deserve a raise in 2023. But I am concerned that the mayor of Ashland’s primary source of income is her role as the executive director of the GEOS Institute, and we have no idea who is making donations to GEOS, when those donations were made and what stipulations may have been attached.

Given Oregon’s impossible climate change net-zero emissions goals and Ashland’s own Climate Energy Action Plan, it is expected that Mayor Graham would play a role in efforts related to reducing carbon emissions in the city. But when she describes these actions as “addressing the climate crisis,” this appears to me to be crossing the line and advocating for the GEOS Institute’s fearmongering propaganda using her mayoral bully pulpit. Reviewing GEOS’s future, we see their ambition is to roll out their Climate Innovation Centers to 10 more states in 2025. In the 2025-2028 timeframe, GEOS plans to be in all 50 states, and their “National Core Team” will be coordinating this entire program will the federal government.

According to GEOS, it all begins with local government: “While national level policies are needed, so too are actions taken by local governments.” and: “While local government is the optimal scale for specific types of climate action, their roles and actions are now, and will continue to be, different in every state.”

I’m concerned that Mayor Tonya Graham is using Ashland as a “proof of concept” for GEOS regarding “addressing the climate crisis” starting at the local government level i.e., grab the reins of power and push your climate crisis agenda through.