Title
Establishing the Climate Justice Advisory Board.
Body
Whereas, on December 17, 2019, after a year-long community engagement process, the Saint Paul City Council approved the Saint Paul Climate Action and Resilience Plan (CARP), which sets goals, targets, and strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in a fair and equitable way and addressing the ways in which a changing climate threatens the health and well-being of Saint Paul residents and businesses; and
Whereas, the CARP sets aggressive, ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions communitywide 50% by 2030 and down to net-zero by 2050, making it critical that the policies, programs, and practices set up to achieve these goals have costs and benefits that are fair and equitable; and
Whereas, it is particularly important that the benefits of the City’s climate action work accrue to the City’s most vulnerable residents, namely black, indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) residents, particularly those in climate vulnerable neighborhoods, at least as much as to the City’s less vulnerable residents; and
Whereas, the City of Saint Paul heard from many members of the public who commented on the Draft Plan a desire to see a permanent and ongoing way for Saint Paul residents and other stakeholders to stay engaged in the City’s Climate Action work; and
Whereas, the City Council and Mayor Carter desire to engage a group of Saint Paul residents and other stakeholders, on an ongoing basis, in the development of policies and programs that stem from the goals, targets, and strategies identified in the Climate Action and Resilience Plan; and
Whereas, the City Council and Mayor Carter, in particular, want a group of residents and other stakeholders to be formed to advise them on the best ways to make future climate action policies and programs as equitable as possible, ensuring that the needs and challenges of the City’s most vulnerable residents are reflected; and
Whereas, the proposed purpose and structure of the CJAB are further described in the document Climate Justice Advisory Board Description that is attached to this resolution; now, therefore be it
Resolved, that the Saint Paul City Council hereby establishes the Saint Paul Climate Justice Advisory Board consistent with the above-referenced CJAB description which is incorporated by reference into this Resolution; and be it
Further Resolved, that the Council requests that, within 90 days of the passage of this resolution, Mayor Carter present for approval members of the CJAB.