East Lansing, MI Climate Protection Resolution

Type: Resolution
Status: Adopted
Source File: http://www.cityofeastlansing.com/citygov/works/pdf/ClimateProtectionAgreement.pdf
Text:
CITY OF EAST LANSING CLIMATE PROTECTION RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the U.S. Conference of Mayors has previously adopted strong policy
resolutions calling for cities, communities and the federal government to take actions to
reduce global warming pollution; and
WHEREAS, the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the international
community’s most respected assemblage of scientists, has found that climate disruption is
a reality and that human activities are largely responsible for increasing concentrations of
global warming pollution; and
WHEREAS, recent, well-documented impacts of climate disruption include average
global sea level increases of four to eight inches during the 20th century; a 40 percent
decline in Arctic sea-ice thickness; and nine of the ten hottest years on record occurring
in the past decade; and
WHEREAS, climate disruption of the magnitude now predicted by the scientific
community will cause extremely costly disruption of human and natural systems
throughout the world including: increased risk of floods or droughts; sea-level rises that
interact with coastal storms to erode beaches, inundate land, and damage structures; more
frequent and extreme heat waves; more frequent and greater concentrations of smog; and
WHEREAS, on February 16, 2005, the Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement to
address climate disruption, went into effect in the 141 countries that have ratified it to
date; 38 of those countries are now legally required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
on average 5.2 percent below 1990 levels by 2012; and
WHEREAS, the United States of America, with less than five percent of the world’s
population, is responsible for producing approximately 25 percent of the world’s
global warming pollutants; and
WHEREAS, the Kyoto Protocol emissions reduction target for the U.S. would have been
7 percent below 1990 levels by 2012; and
WHEREAS, many leading US companies that have adopted greenhouse gas reduction
programs to demonstrate corporate social responsibility have also publicly expressed
preference for the US to adopt precise and mandatory emissions targets and timetables as
a means by which to remain competitive in the international marketplace, to mitigate
financial risk and to promote sound investment decisions; and
WHEREAS, state and local governments throughout the United States are adopting
emission reduction targets and programs and that this leadership is bipartisan, coming
from Republican and Democratic governors and mayors alike; and
WHEREAS, many cities throughout the nation, both large and small, are reducing global
warming pollutants through programs that provide economic and quality of life benefits such as reduced energy bills, green space preservation, air quality improvements, reduced traffic congestion, improved transportation choices, and economic development and job creation through energy conservation and new energy technologies; and
WHEREAS, East Lansing is a leader on environmental protection and community
quality of life issues and has for the past decade undertaken many actions to reduce
global climate change pollution in our municipal operations and within our community
such as the use of alternative fuels, urban forestation projects, utilization of energy
efficient products in municipal buildings, etc; and
WHEREAS, signing the US Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement
commits the City to further evaluating and taking reasonable actions to reduce our City’s
impact on global climate change and will reinforce that the City is a leader in the state as
it pertains to protecting our environment; and
WHEREAS, mayors from around the nation have signed the U.S. Mayors Climate
Protection Agreement which, as amended at the 73rd Annual U.S. Conference of Mayors
meeting, reads:
'''
The U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement'''
A. We urge the federal government and state governments to enact policies and programs
to meet or beat the target of reducing global warming pollution levels to 7 percent below
1990 levels by 2012, including efforts to: reduce the United States’ dependence on fossil
fuels and accelerate the development of clean, economical energy resources and fuel-
efficient technologies such as conservation, methane recovery for energy generation,
waste to energy, wind and solar energy, fuel cells, efficient motor vehicles, and
biofuels;
B. We urge the U.S. Congress to pass bipartisan greenhouse gas reduction legislation that
includes:
1) clear timetables and emissions limits and
2) a flexible, market-based system of tradable allowances among emitting
industries; and
C. We will strive to meet or exceed Kyoto Protocol targets for reducing global warming
pollution by taking actions in our own operations and communities such as:
1. Inventory global warming emissions in City operations and in the community,
set reduction targets and create an action plan.
2. Adopt and enforce land-use policies that reduce sprawl, preserve open space,
and create compact, walkable urban communities;
3. Promote transportation options such as bicycle trails, commute trip reduction
programs, incentives for car pooling and public transit;
4. Increase the use of clean, alternative energy by, for example, investing in
“green tags”,advocating for the development of renewable energy resources, recovering landfill methane for energy production, and supporting the use of waste to energy technology;
5. Make energy efficiency a priority through building code improvements,
retrofitting city facilities with energy efficient lighting and urging employees to
conserve energy and save money;
6. Purchase only Energy Star equipment and appliances for City use;
7. Practice and promote sustainable building practices using the U.S. Green
Building Council's LEED program or a similar system;
8. Increase the average fuel efficiency of municipal fleet vehicles; reduce the
number of vehicles; launch an employee education program including anti-idling
messages; convert diesel vehicles to bio-diesel;
9. Evaluate opportunities to increase pump efficiency in water and wastewater
systems;recover wastewater treatment methane for energy production;
10. Increase recycling rates in City operations and in the community;
11. Maintain healthy urban forests; promote tree planting to increase shading and
to absorb CO2; and
12. Help educate the public, schools, other jurisdictions, professional associations,
business and industry about reducing global warming pollution.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The City of East Lansing endorses the
U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement as amended by the 73rd annual U.S.
Conference of Mayors meeting and urges mayors from around the nation to join this
effort.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of East Lansing will work in conjunction
with ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability and other appropriate organizations to
track progress and implementation of the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement as
amended by the 73rd annual U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of East Lansing Department of Public
Works and the East Lansing Commission on the Environment work together to establish
a baseline emission inventory and develop an action plan to reduce the City’s
contribution of global warming pollutants.
Category:City Governments
Category:Climate Policy
Category:Michigan
Category:Resolutions