A Resolution of the City Council of the City of North Adams Committing to achieve or

exceed, at the municipal level, the goals established in the Paris Climate Accord.

WHEREAS, the issue of climate change poses significant threats to the health and
well-being of current and future generations of individuals locally, nationally, and
internationally; and

WHEREAS, according to the World Health Organization, human-influenced climate

change has the potential to kill upwards of 150,000 people every year around the
world; and

WHEREAS, economically disadvantaged residents, people of color, older individuals,

children, immigrants, people who are homeless, and people with existing mental or
physical health conditions will experience climate change disproportionately; and

WHEREAS, the 2015 EPA report, Climate Change in the United States: Benefits of
Global Action, states that global action on climate change could prevent nearly
70,000 premature American deaths annually by the end of the century, while
sparing the country hundreds of billions of dollars in economic losses; and

WHEREAS, Massachusetts has already experienced the impacts of these global

climate changes through shifts in seasonal cycles, increased regularity of severe
weather, impacts on crop growth cycles, and improved survival conditions for
disease carrying insects such as ticks in recent years; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has mandated statewide reduction

of greenhouse gas emissions to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050; and

WHEREAS, the Paris Agreement urges all nations to enact programs to limit the
human impact on global temperature increase to less than 2 degrees Celsius, with an
expectation that this goal would be reduced to 1.5 degrees in the future; and

WHEREAS, current trends in the Commonwealth Massachusetts support that

growth in jobs focused on sustainability, green technology, and alternative energies
will improve the economic landscape of the Commonwealth, decrease our states
carbon footprint and reduce the harmful impact on climate change; and

WHEREAS, Governor Charlie Baker, along with numerous other Governors, Mayors,
communities, and 194 other countries, has declared his commitment, and the
commitment of Massachusetts, to achieve or exceed the non-binding goals
established by the Paris Climate Accord; and

WHEREAS, North Adams has established itself as a green community; committed to

the a decreased use of fossil fuels, the improved walkability of our city through
Complete Streets, and the improved stewardship of our natural surroundings; and
WHEREAS, there is immediate need to take strong, proactive and sustained action to
protect our environment, our communities, and our economy; and

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORTH

ADAMS, HEREBY

Fully endorses Mayor Richard Alcombrights endorsement of the Climate Mayors

statement joining other US cities in the Climate Mayors network in adopting and
supporting the goals of the Paris Agreement; and

Indicates its commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through an

implementation of the Climate Action Plan; and

Joins other US cities in the Climate Mayors network in adopting and supporting the
goals of the Paris Agreement; and

Commits to exploring potential benefits and costs of adopting policies and programs
that promote the long-term goal of greenhouse gas emissions reduction while
maximizing economic and social co-benefits of such action.