Title
Adopting the Climate Action and Resilience Plan.
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WHEREAS, the United States is the only country in the world that is withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accord, leaving the burden of countering climate change to state and municipal governments, and that the commitments made in the Paris Accord do not go far enough to reduce emissions fast enough to avoid a global climate catastrophe; and
WHEREAS Mayor Carter and hundreds of other Mayors in the U.S. have signed on to the “We’re Still In” (the Paris Climate Accord) letter and committed to taking bold and accelerated action on the local level to do our part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and
WHEREAS, the greatest burden resulting from an inadequate response to our climate crisis will be carried by our youngest generation and all who follow; and
WHEREAS, climate change has not and will not impact everyone equally, and some communities, especially those of color and those that are under-resourced, are disproportionately affected by climate change and other environmental hazards; and
WHEREAS, the risks from an inadequate response are potentially devastating, and include economic and environmental disruptions-many of which are already being felt-such as more severe storms, longer and hotter heat waves, worsening flood and drought cycles, growing invasive species and insect problems, accelerated species extinction rates, rising sea levels, increased severity and frequency of wildfires, a dramatic increase of refugees from climate impacted lands, and-notably within the city of Saint Paul-a negative impact on Mississippi River ecosystems and wildlife wellbeing, as well as a substantial increase in invasive tree-boring species; and
WHEREAS, leading climate scientists have indicated that further delay in significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions will rapidly push humanity past the point where disastrous consequences can be avoided; and
WHEREAS, the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climat...
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