HomeMy WebLinkAboutresolution.council.114-19 RESOLUTION #114
(Series of 2019)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ASPEN,
COLORADO, URGING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO ADDRESS
THE CAUSES AND IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE BY PASSING HOUSE
RESOLUTION 736: "ENERGY INNOVATION AND CARBON DIVIDEND
ACT OF 2019" OF THE 116TH CONGRESS.
WHEREAS, climate scientists worldwide agree that climate
change poses a serious threat to the current and future health of human
civilization and the natural environment; and
WHEREAS,the primary cause of forced climate change is human
activity, especially the production and consumption of fossil fuels, which
create greenhouse gasses (GHGs) that insulate the Earth's atmosphere and cause
rapid warming of the oceans and continents; and
WHEREAS, the United States (U.S.) Fourth National Climate
Assessment, produced by the U.S. Global Change Research Program,
anticipates that climate change will continue to lead to impacts, such as increased
heat, drought, insect outbreaks, flooding, and wildfires coupled with declining
water supplies, reduced agricultural yields, infrastructure and ecosystem
degradation, and a myriad of human health impacts throughout the Southwestern
U.S.; and
WHEREAS, the ongoing, likely impacts of unmitigated GHG
emissions and climate change on Aspen pose a serious threat to the local
region's economy, quality of life, ecology, public safety, and heritage; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aspen City Council has a record of acknowledging
the reality of climate change, its probable effects on the community, and the
City's ability and responsibility to reduce its contribution to the causes of
climate change, as evidenced by the City's Climate Action Plan; and
WHEREAS, local action is necessary, yet insufficient, to avoid
catastrophic climate change; and
WHEREAS, national and international policies to reduce GHG emissions
must be rapidly implemented; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aspen City Council previously adopted resolution
11, Series 2016 in support of"carbon fee and dividend" legislation in the U.S.
Congress; and
WHEREAS, Aspen citizens representing the Aspen chapter of the Citizens'
Climate Lobby (CCL) support new "carbon fee and dividend" legislation that
would reduce economy-wide GHG emissions at the national scale; and
WHEREAS, such an instrument would encourage consumers and the
market to transition away from carbon-based energy and fuels to renewable
energy sources through the application of fees on GHG-intensive fuels; and
WHEREAS, the market transition to renewable energy sources would
advance the mitigation of the impacts of climate change to foster a sustainable and
stable future for all communities, including the City of Aspen:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF ASPEN, COLORADO, the governing body recognizes that an
effective and efficient measure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by the
production and consumption of fossil fuels, and therefore reduce the impacts of
climate change, is the enactment of a revenue-neutral fee on fossil fuel
production at its source,with the fees being returned to the public as a dividend.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the governing body:
1. Strongly urges the U.S. Congress to pass House Resolution 763: "Energy
Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act of 2019" of the 116" Congress as
introduced into the House of Representatives on January 24, 2019.
2. Requests that the U.S. Congress pass and implement this policy with the
speed appropriate to the gravity and urgency of the situation.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Clerk is directed to forward a
copy of this resolution to the City's Congressional Delegation.
INTRODUCED, READ AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of
Aspen on the 22nd day of October 2019.
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Torre, Mayor
1, Linda Manning, duly appointed and acting City Clerk do certify that the
foregoing is a true and accurate copy of that resolution adopted by the City Council
of the City of Aspen, Colorado, at a meeting held, October 22, 2019.
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Linda Manni g, City Clerk