Even though the United States has opted out of the Paris Climate Agreement, liberal San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg plans to support it. In a draft of the City’s proposed plans to support climate change remediation goals, much of it focuses on ending gasoline-powered private and commercial vehicles, which will affect the transportation and mobility freedom of all citizens.

The plan justifies ending private gas-powered vehicles by claiming that they allege they are 34% of the metro's total greenhouse gas output. The plan recommends that only expensive electric and alternative fueled vehicles be on city streets and roads by 2050. 

There is also an emphasis on public transportation with planned communities that “encourages” people to live in smaller “walkable” neighborhoods to make them less dependent on private independent vehicles. Other recommendations include alternative work schedules, including work-from-home-one-day-a-week and telecommuting.

However, citizens should understand that this plan impacts on their “transportation freedom” which is the freedom of their mobility. That freedom allows citizens to live and work where they wish, and even pursue the American Dream.

Local governments’ public works programs were designed to maintain and expand the streets and roads as communities grew. However, now, because of liberal climate change ideas, local governments want to limit the public street access of private gas-powered vehicles in favor of pedestrians, bikes, light rail and other forms of mass transportation.

Streets and roads are clogged by restricting and removing lanes with High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes, buses, trolleys, and bike lanes. Ironically, when citizens complain about the heavy traffic, politicians, government bureaucrats and transportation experts (who make a living off designing public transportation plans to save the planet) respond that more public transportation is needed.

On the contrary, private transportation is discouraged by supporters of the Paris Agreement. For example, officials with the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization have said many times that one of their goals is to “get people of their cars.” What they mean is that they want to get rid of cars and private transportation in favor of public transit, and this draft plan boldly pushes that agenda.

The ability to come and go as one pleases in private vehicles increases personal freedoms. One can own private property where they wish, associated with whom they want to, and travel freely to exchange money and ideas — limiting mobility impacts directly and indirectly on those freedoms. 

Private property ownership to build personal wealth is a central part of the American Dream. However, public and limited mass transportation “encourages” people to live clustered in and around the sources of mass public transit and limits those opportunities.

President Trump withdrew the United States from the Paris Agreement because it limited America’s national economic growth. Why would Mayor Nirenberg want to embrace it at the local?

The City’s support of the Paris Agreement shows the liberal political beliefs of the San Antonio Mayor and the City Council. It also shows their globalist views that oppose private ownership and personal freedoms.