RES-2009-006 Resolution and Cool Counties Climate Stailization Declaration

Browse Search

U.S Cool Counties Climate Stabilization Declaration and Resolution WHEREAS, there is a consensus among the world's leading scientists that global warming caused by human emission of greenhouse gases is among the most significant problems facing the world today; WHEREAS, documented impacts of global warming include but are not limited to increased occurrences of extreme weather events (i.e., droughts and floods), adverse impacts on plants and wildlife habitats, threats to global food and water supplies — all of which have an economic impact on communities and their local governments; WHEREAS, leading scientists have projected that stabilization of climate change in time to minimize such impacts will require a reduction of global warming emissions to 80 percent below current levels by the year 2050; WHEREAS, currently the United States is responsible for producing approximately 25 percent of the world's global warming pollutants; WHEREAS, many leading U.S. companies that have adopted greenhouse gas reduction programs to demonstrate corporate and operational responsibility have also publicly expressed preference for the federal government to adopt precise and mandatory emissions targets and timetables as a means by which to provide a uniform and predictable regulatory environment to encourage and enable necessary and long-term business investments; WHEREAS, Congress and the Administration have strengthened the U.S. Corporate Average Fuel Economy ("CAFE") standard for cars and light trucks; WHEREAS, state, regional and local governments throughout the United States are adopting emissions reduction targets and programs and that this effort is bipartisan, coming from Republican and Democratic leadership; WHEREAS, the U.S. Conference of Mayors has endorsed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, which commits cities to reduction of global warming emissions to 7 percent below 1990 levels by 2012, and calls for a federal limit on emissions; WHEREAS, the State of California has mandated statewide reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050; WHEREAS, more than 100 county leaders signed a letter written by Dane County, Wisconsin, that was sent to the President in March 2006 calling for increased energy investment and development of jobs focused on clean energy technologies;