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RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF ALDERS OF THE CITY OF NEW HAVEN URGING THE PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS TO CREATE A FEDERAL CLIMATE EMERGENCY PLAN.
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WHEREAS: As an elected leader, acting on the climate crisis is crucial because it poses a threat multiplier for global and water security, deadly diseases, environmental racism, and injustice; and
WHEREAS: it's high time to implement a national Climate Emergency Plan that safeguards all our communities; and
WHEREAS: at least 40 states will experience water shortages by 2030, while unfortunately, countries like Saudi Arabia and China are already depleting American water sources at an alarming rate, and globally, 37 acute conflicts, many unresolved, are due to water insecurity; and
WHEREAS: U.S. intelligence and the military recognize the climate crisis as a threat to national security; and
WHEREAS: the climate crisis poses serious threats to our lives, such as drought, disease, floods, fires, extreme temperatures and storms, political inaction, and misguided regulations have held us back, but there is still hope; and
WHEREAS: our American spirit, innovation, and resilience have already produced proven and existing solutions capable of unifying and protecting us; and
WHEREAS: for example, clean energy innovators have deployed a revolutionary floating offshore wind turbine in Maine, which is working and is just one of the many already working innovations that can energize our economy; and
WHEREAS: clean, renewable energy is already less expensive than using fossil fuels and can generate millions of jobs; and
WHEREAS: it is crucial that America takes the lead in safeguarding the world against the climate emergency.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the New Haven Board of Alders go on record urging the President and Congress to create a federal Climate Emergency Plan that includes the following objectives, among others:
• Declare a national climate emergency and invoke the Defense Production Act to scale up
clean energy production
• Create millions of jobs by transitioning to a 100% clean energy economy
• Invest in communities on the frontlines of environmental injustice and the climate
emergency, especially Indigenous, Black, Brown, and economically vulnerable
communities
• Invest in clean, affordable transportation and smart renewable energy grids
• Phase out fossil fuels and shift financing to clean energy
• Transition to regenerative agriculture
• Ensure everyone has access to clean and safe water
• Phase out plastics and toxins threatening global ecosystems and oxygen supply
• Improve building, industrial, and appliance efficiency
• Prevent foreign states from unsustainably extracting American water.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution is forwarded to President Joe Biden, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, and each member of the Connecticut Congressional Delegation.