Transition Town Greater Media (TTGM) is responding to the UN International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2023 report by declaring a climate emergency and requesting immediate and accelerated actions to address the climate crisis and limit global warming to 1.5°C.
UN secretary general António Guterres said: “This report is a clarion call to massively fast-track climate efforts by every country and every sector and on every timeframe. Our world needs climate action on all fronts: everything, everywhere, all at once.”
Individuals as well as governments need to take immediate, effective and sustained action. We have at the most ten years, maybe less, considering known and unknown tipping points. There is no time to waste. We need to treat this like the emergency it is. Only swift and effective action can avert irrevocable damage to the world.
We need to significantly reduce per capita emissions by 2030, and we feel we have an obligation to lead by example. We already have the solutions we need to reduce emissions, contribute to climate adaptation, create jobs, restore the natural environment and encourage good investments. Those solutions need to be implemented immediately. The monetary cost of recovering from extreme weather, heat related illnesses, and illness caused by environmental pollution is astronomical, and will only get worse.
Therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED
That TTGM declares a Climate Emergency threatening our municipalities, region, state, nation, humanity, and the natural world. We will make decisions and act in a manner that is compatible with the recommendations of the IPCC’s 2023 report, eliminating greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible.
We therefore further resolve:
- That we will favor solutions that are positive for climate, environment and biodiversity;
- That we will accelerate adaptation and resilience strategies in preparation for intensifying climate impacts;
- That we will coordinate our climate efforts with local, regional, and state governments to accelerate immediate and near-term actions to rapidly eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels, and other sources;
- That environmental justice communities must be equitably and actively engaged in the transition to a fossil fuel-free economy and prioritized through local climate mitigation and adaptation planning, policy, and program delivery, ensuring a just transition for all people;
- That projects started through the climate emergency process should include working-class and low-income communities as well as communities historically and disproportionally impacted by pollution, high unemployment and environmental injustice;
- That as we work on climate mitigation, we will continue to advance climate adaptation efforts to address unavoidable current and future climate change impacts;
- That we commit to involve and inform residents and especially young people about the climate emergency, through meetings, messaging, presenting at schools, and other processes in which citizen deliberation is central to decision-making;
- That we will work with Media Borough EAC, Media Borough Council and similar local governments in the Greater Media area to develop a budget that enables urgent climate action, avoids further investment of public funds in fossil fuel-reliant infrastructure and ensures a climate resilient future for all residents.
Wonder what personal changes you can make to help? Read Ending Business as Usual and choose what works for you.
Learn about the UN solutions to address climate change.
Learn about TTGM’s efforts to address climate crisis.
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