HomeMy WebLinkAboutresolution.council.021-18 RESOLUTION #021
(Series of 2018)
A RESOLUTION FORMALIZING ASPEN'S GREENHOUSE GAS (GHG)
REDUCTION TARGETS AND ADOPTING ASPEN'S CLIMATE ACTION
PLAN AS A MEANS OF ACHIEVING THOSE TARGETS.
WHEREAS, the City of Aspen is committed to maintaining a high quality of life
for residents and providing a superior visitor experience, and
WHEREAS, as a mountain community, Aspen is highly vulnerable to the impacts
of climate change; and
WHEREAS, existing and predicted changes in climate have an encompassing and
cascading effect on the City's infrastructure,economy, surrounding ecosystems,
public health and safety, and other critical systems; and
WHEREAS, the severity of future changes depends on future GHG emissions; and
WHEREAS, limiting global warming to less than 2°C is necessary to avoid the
most severe impacts of climate change; and
WHEREAS, the most effective way to limit the impact of climate change is to
reduce global emissions of GHGs at least 80% by 2050; and
WHEREAS, Aspen has historically been a local government leader in addressing
climate change; and
WHEREAS, formalizing a GHG reduction target and adopting a climate action
plan is a best practice among cities as indicated by the fact that more than 7,500
cities worldwide have committed to doing so; and
WHEREAS, a majority of the world's energy is consumed in cities, indicating that
local governments can significantly reduce GHGs through collective action; and
WHEREAS, Aspen's experience indicates that measures to reduce local GHG
emissions create co-benefits such as increased resilience, improved environmental
quality, enhanced public health and safety and a more dynamic economy; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aspen released an updated Climate Action Plan in
December 2017 that outlines specific initiatives related to energy supply, energy
demand, transportation, waste, and aviation that could enable Aspen to achieve its
ambitious GHG reduction goals.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF ASPEN, COLORADO:
That the Aspen community shall reduce absolute community-wide
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 30% below 2004 levels by 2020 and 80%below
2004 levels by 2050.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That the City Council of the City of Aspen, Colorado formally adopts the
December, 2017 update to Aspen's Climate Action Plan as a means of working to
achieve the desired reductions in GHG emissions.
i
Dated: February 26, 2018
\ teve Skadron, 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 Nouary 8, 2Q 18.
inda Manning, City Cle