Agenda - 01-15-2008-3d - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE CO~TNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING CLIMATE CHANGE AWARENESS DAY WHEREAS, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concludes that many natural systems are being affected by regional climate changes, particularly temperature increases; and, WHEREAS, increasing evidence associates changes in physical and biological systems with human activities; and, WHEREAS, the potential impacts of climate change range from species extinction, to rising sea levels, to increased frequency and severity of droughts and to potentially disastrous impacts on the availability of food and water in many regions; and, WHEREAS, in 2004, the United States emitted over 7 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases, 83% of which was carbon dioxide; and, WHEREAS, it is both the responsibility and the duty of those of us living today to leave the children of the future a healthy global environment; and, WHEREAS, if we, as a community and as a nation, are to reduce the risk oflarge-scale, irreversible, worldwide damage due to climate change, then ambitious-and potentially costly- policy solutions must be undertaken within a very compressed time frame; NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that, the Orange County Board of Commissioners proclaims its support for the students of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's efforts to focus the community on the issues surrounding climate change on January 31, 2008 and do hereby proclaim January 31, 2008 as Orange County Climate Change Awareness Day. Further, the Board of Commissioners encourages all residents of Orange County to actively engage in discussions or activities focusing on climate change and to take at least one proactive step to reduce their own and their family's ecological footprint, for the sake of the health and well being of future generations. This the 15th day of January 2008. Barry Jacobs, Chair Orange County Board of Commissioners