Referred to:  The Energy and Environment Committee (Chairwoman Greene and Legislators Eckert, Heppner, Wawro, and Woltman)

Legislators Dean Fabiano, Joseph Maloney, and Mary Wawro offer the following:

WHEREAS, in April 2016 leaders from 174 countries and the European Union recognized the threat of climate change and the urgent need to combat it by signing the Paris Agreement; and

WHEREAS, on October 8, 2018, the United Nations released a special report which projected that limiting warming to 1.5° C this century will require an unprecedented transformation of the global economy over the next 12 years; and

WHEREAS, the United States of America has disproportionately contributed to this climate change and thus bears more responsibility to address this crisis; and

WHEREAS, restoring a safe and stable climate requires an emergency mobilization to rapidly and safely draw down excess carbon from the atmosphere, and to implement measures to protect all people and species from the consequences of climate change; and

WHEREAS, addressing climate change fairly requires transitioning from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy that is ecologically sustainable and equitable for all people; and

WHEREAS, Ulster County has historically acted as an environmental leader and all branches of government shall continue to strive to convert to an ecologically, socially and economically regenerative economy at emergency speed; and

WHEREAS, on June 18, 2019, the County Executive signed an executive order to move the County toward the goal of having 100 percent of the county government's electrical needs produced by locally generated renewable energy sources by 2030, and the Ulster County Legislature reinforced Ulster County’s commitment to environmental leadership by codifying the County’s renewable energy use into law on September 17, 2019; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, the Ulster County Legislature declares that a climate emergency threatens our local communities, county, state, nation, and world; and, be it further

RESOLVED, Ulster County urges leaders at every level of government to commit to a climate emergency mobilization effort to reverse global warming and end greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible; and, be it further

RESOLVED, Ulster County urges governmental leaders to commit to educating our residents about the climate emergency and the mobilization effort at the local, state, national, and global levels; and, be it further

RESOLVED, Ulster County underscores the need for full community participation, inclusion, and support, and recognizes that the residents of Ulster County and members of community organizations, faith-based, youth, labor, business, academic institutions, and other such community allies will be integral to and provide leadership of the mobilization effort; and, be it further

RESOLVED, the Clerk of the Ulster County Legislature shall forward copies of this resolution to Governor Andrew Cuomo, Assembly and Senate Majority and Minority Leaders, Assembly and Senate Environmental Conservation Committee Chairs, and all Ulster County elected Assemblymembers and Senators,

and move its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                        NOES:  

Passed Committee: Energy and Environment on ___________________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

NONE