How San Francisco could build a greener future

I find myself standing at the intersection of history and opportunity. As the president of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce and a fourth-generation San Francisco native, I have witnessed firsthand the unique blend of cultures, ideologies and ambitions that make our city so vibrant and dynamic.

The city has been gifted with a unique character and rich history, and the history unfolding today is no different. Today, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce and our community partners have come together towards an enduring mission, to actualize a green future for San Francisco.

Our city is at a crossroads. San Francisco’s downtown economy, a powerhouse contributing to 80% of the city’s economic activity, faces considerable challenges.

It's grappling with a 28% office vacancy rate, a 40% reduction in public transit ridership since 2019, and just 45% workforce returning to their offices. To rejuvenate our downtown, bolster our economic backbone, and identify the sectors to invest in for a viable future, we need to think innovatively.

San Francisco has a generational opportunity to build on its core strengths as a global centre of commerce, with a talented, educated workforce and a long history of leadership in technology and innovation, to refocus its energy on leading the fight against climate change.

This is a vision that is backed by our city leadership and our recently approved City Climate Action Plan. In alignment with our city's leadership, we are seeking to transform San Francisco into the greenest city in the world.

Our initiatives at the Chamber of Commerce focus on uplifting and nurturing existing sustainable and cleantech companies, while also attracting new ones. Our recent efforts include the Uplink Challenge, designed to foster eco-entrepreneurship in our downtown area.

We are looking for innovative solutions to support that will transform our cityscape and solidify San Francisco's position as a global leader in sustainability innovation.

By working collaboratively with business groups, small businesses, housing advocates, workforce developers and the wider community, we can deliver real change and inspire other cities to embrace a greener future.

As we pivot our gaze from recovery to a reimagination of our downtown, San Francisco is investing heavily in ways to diversify downtown uses for new businesses, including sustainable businesses.

Some current efforts to make new uses in downtown more feasible include reforms to make the city’s tax structure more attractive and resilient, zoning legislation to allow new uses and activities, the creation of an adaptive reuse programme, and streamlining permits to reduce barriers for new businesses.

Though San Francisco has a geography surrounded mostly by water, we know that our city is not on a metaphorical island. Ideas developed within the confines of our 7×7 mile radius have a ripple effect on our nation and the world.

The San Francisco Chamber of Commerce holds this sense of responsibility earnestly, as the convener between business leaders and government officials, who aim to connect and implement transformative ideas.

At times our initiatives do cross state lines as seen through Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE), a nationwide network of 1,300 chambers of commerce and economic development organizations.

Created and led by chamber executives, CICE works with these associations to amplify and advance an equitable clean energy economy, while highlighting business leadership in the areas of clean energy, climate action, and resilience.

We prioritize innovation and implementation, bringing together key players from various sectors to rally around the collective benefits of a greener future.

San Francisco undoubtedly faces a set of significant challenges on the horizon. Yet, history has taught us that we can triumph over adversity, and I am unwavering in my confidence that we will navigate these hurdles.

San Francisco has always been a city of rebirth, redefining itself time and again amidst fires, earthquakes, economic downturns and a global health crisis. I view the current challenges as not just hurdles to overcome, but as a unique opportunity for us to articulate and execute a courageous new vision.

I am immensely proud of the work our team is doing to convene and connect ideas to opportunities, actualizing progress. However, we cannot do it alone. We need diverse perspectives to connect San Francisco's vibrant history with its potential future.

By convening and connecting ideas to opportunities, we are working towards making San Francisco the greenest city in the world.

San Francisco is more than a city – it's a dynamic ecosystem of innovation, a symbol of collaboration and foresight, and a beacon of hope delivering groundbreaking solutions to complex problems.