There is one man who has made, and continues to make, a profound impact on my life.  I have yet to meet him but living in my newly adopted home state of California, he influences decisions I make at work as an energy manager and at home when I buy gas, turn on the lights or pay my gardener.  I can call him by name: Governor Moonbeam.  Edmund Gerald “Jerry” Brown is the outgoing leader of one of the largest economies on earth (6^th, if you don’t account for the high cost of living).  As Governor of California for the fourth time, Jerry has a unique place in contemporary history as both the politician that doesn’t go away, and a man with a clear social mission.  For 40 years, Jerry Brown has not only served California, but his social activism and environmental awareness has been a steadfast reminder of what real American inclusion and idealism is. As a younger politician he was often ridiculed for being idealistic.  Today, this idealism would still be considered forward thinking and inclusive.  As an illustration of the context in which he leads, during the 1980 gubernatorial election, he ran on a platform of “protect the earth, serve the people and explore the universe.”

Brown was born into a political family.  His father had also been California Governor, and Jerry was educated at socially liberal institutions University of California Berkeley, and Yale. Before graduating college, Jerry entered training to become a priest.   This laid the groundwork for considerable social awareness and an understanding of how politics works.  He was a man built for politics, entering adulthood in the 1960’s—a time of liberal thinking and questioning in a liberal part of America.  These experiences formed Jerry Brown’s opinions and beliefs and serve as confirmation to the authentic leader he became.

Why is Jerry Brown a sustainability leader?  We can observe his most recent foray on the international stage at the climate conference in Bonn.  Directly opposing America’s withdrawal from the Paris Accord decided by Donald Trump, Brown lead a delegation of American governors and mayors to Bonn, to demonstrate their dedication to SDGs.  Taking a stand on climate issues is not new to Brown, nor is he ever been afraid to speak out in opposition to another popular politician.  Today, he is a liberal elder statesman who had many battles.  Some he has won, others he lost.  Never afraid to contribute, and willing to move from high political office to one of lower standing at the local level, he also never tires of the fight for social justice or environmentalism.  So, to serve the public has been his life’s work, and he has been a progressive, activist leader.  Like many sustainability leaders, he exhibits a keen mind for financial responsibility, and is a fiscal conservative.

Brown has aligned himself with other progressive leaders such as Cesar Chavez and Bernie Sanders.  He was the first to appoint a gay judge, and appointed women and minorities to posts in the 1970s, when few were represented in political positions.  He remains a vocal supporter to women’s rights and continues to align himself with the plight of migrant workers and ‘Dreamers’ (those brought illegally to America as children and who have no official status in the U.S.).  He has been a vocal opponent to the Trump administration’s anti-immigrant policies, signing a bill into law which makes California a ‘sanctuary state’ for its 2.3 million illegal immigrants.  The law means that police cannot ask people about their immigration status and prohibits law enforcement from participating in any federal immigration actions.  He worked to create accountability in politics in the 1970’s and opposed the death penalty.  The combination of fiscal conservative and progressive social leader means that Jerry Brown must be savvy and collaborative in how he executes his large scale environmental vision as well.  He suffered a defeat when he wanted to re-route water from Sacramento to Southern California in 1982 but persisted and succeeded in 2013 with his environmental vision for California, which called for a power grid with 50% of its energy deriving from renewables.  This is especially important for southern California, which gets most of its energy from the hydroelectric power produced in the pacific north west.  Distributed renewables reduce the amount of transmission line losses in place over the long distances currently traveled, because renewables can be placed in the desert of southern California close to large consumption hubs like Los Angeles and San Diego.

Jerry Brown is a template for many Americans who want to feel enabled to action.  He envisions a world of social and political equality, equitable distribution of wealth and a clean environment.  He acts in accordance with those beliefs, and uses his popularity, notoriety and position to achieve sweeping reforms and enacting aggressive and progressive environmental programs.  However, he is often unfairly criticized for not doing enough in the cause of climate change.  California’s export of fossil fuels, and the economic impact they have on the state’s economy, has not escaped his critics outside the U.S. Brown, however, understands the context in which he operates, and can effect change.  Oil drilling in California accounts for many unskilled and semi-skilled laborers, and much downstream tax revenue.  Ceasing drilling operations completely and suddenly would leave a large gap in revenue and employment for Californians that no other industry can quickly ease.  Therefore, it is important that any transition happen with care paid to the people and companies most effected.  So, to be Jerry Brown is to have a thick skin, a determined nature, an inquiring mind and endurance.

I am as energized today as I was when I worked on his presidential campaign in the early 1990’s.  I see myself at the podium, shouting down with righteousness in support of social justice and environmental protection.  I can be secure in the fact that win or loose the battle, like Brown I will keep trying to make the world sustainable for future generations and should not let one defeat end a noble task.