buildings associated with the Marine Corp Air Station El Toro remain on the site. The dynamic space continues to generate public investment and involvement. Millions of people visit the Orange County Great Park each year. SEE FIGURE 89
NOVEMBER 2016 Paris Climate Accords Become Effective
In 2015, world leaders gathered at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris and signed the Paris Climate Accords, a historic agreement to address climate change. Concurring that climate change posed “a global emergency that goes beyond national borders,” the participants set goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, assess collective progress, and help countries mitigate disasters and strengthen their resilience. The plan also established key parameters to measure how quickly climate change was occurring and determine when its effects may be irreversible. The accords support scientific research and advocate strongly for economic divestment from fossil fuels in favor of more sustainable development. The United States signed the accords in 2016. President Donald Trump removed the United States. from the agreement in 2020, a decision reversed by President Joe Biden in 2024, and reinstated by Trump in 2025. As of 2025, over 195 countries and states have signed the treaty and joined the agreement. 2017 Great Park Expands Sports Facilities After its dedication in 2005, the Orange County Great Park began to develop sport facilities for the community to enjoy. Baseball, soccer, football, basketball, and other playing fields were built. Championship Soccer Stadium, home to Orange County SC, opened in 2017. The Great Park Ice & FivePoint Arena, a practice facility for the Anaheim Ducks hockey team, was completed in 2019. Wild Rivers Water Park opened in 2022. These developments supported the long-term growth plan for the park. Additional phases of the plan include cultural spaces to host events such as concerts and other performances. Educational spaces like libraries, museums, and natural history trails are also planned. Historic
2018 California Wildfires
In 2018, wildfires scorched California in one of the deadliest and most destructive fire seasons ever recorded in the state. Over 1,900,000 acres burned. Flames incinerated nearly 25,000 structures. Many businesses and homes burned to the ground. Over the course of the year, first responders battled almost 8,000 fires. In August, federal officials declared a national disaster and mobilized additional relief efforts. Over the course of the year, crews from across the nation poured into the state to fight the fires. Prolonged drought worsened fire conditions. High winds and intensely high temperatures fueled the wildfires and made battling them especially difficult. Many of the worst blazes occurred in northern California. Several towns were destroyed. In the community of Paradise, almost 100 people died in one of the deadliest wildfire events in American history.
Figure 88. U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee and U.S. Senator Kamala Harris speaking with attendees at the 2019 California Democratic Party State Convention. Image courtesy of Gage Skidmore, Flickr.
2019 COVID-19 Becomes a Global Pandemic
Chinese officials identified a respiratory illness outbreak in 2019. Within months, COVID-19 became an international crisis. The World Health Organization declared it a pandemic in early 2020. Many countries closed their borders to travelers. Domestically, state governments and federal agencies developed guidelines aimed at curbing transmission. They encouraged businesses and schools to pivot to online platforms under stay-at-home policies. Officials discouraged large public gatherings and encouraged strategies such as social distancing and face masks. These public health efforts became politically controversial, as some people resisted them. News outlets and social media showed images of empty streets and packed hospitals. Many museums, sporting venues, and cultural events were canceled for public safety. Some outdoor events — including many at the Orange County Great Park — went on with careful social distancing and masking. The first vaccines became available in December 2020. By the middle of the decade, health officials estimated over one million Americans died due to COVID-19. More than 100,000 deaths occurred in California.
Figure 89. Grand opening of the Great Park Sports Complex, 2017. Image courtesy of City of Irvine, Flickr.
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