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Home My WebLink AboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 08/20/2019 - RESOLUTION 2019-091 ACKNOWLEDGING THE GLOBAL CLIMAAgenda Item 19 Item # 19 Page 1 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY August 20, 2019 City Council STAFF Lindsay Ex, Environmental Program Manager Jeff Mihelich, Deputy City Manager Jody Hurst, Legal SUBJECT Resolution 2019-091 Acknowledging the Global Climate Emergency and Reaffirming the City’s Commitment to Climate Action. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this item is to consider adoption of a Resolution that acknowledges the global climate emergency and reaffirms the City’s commitment to climate action. At its July 2, 2019, regular Council meeting, Council directed staff to bring forward this Resolution for consideration. BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION At its July 2, 2019 Council Meeting, Council gave direction to bring forward a Resolution to consider declaring a climate emergency. Councilmembers indicated staff should use the Fort Collins Sustainability Group’s Resolution as a starting point, along with the following feedback from Councilmembers: • The Resolution should be consistent with current policy. • The Resolution should reinforce and focus on local values, solutions and commitments; while recognizing the global challenges that climate change presents and the associated local impacts. • The Resolution should leverage the letter written by the Mayor in 2017 to then President-Elect Trump (Attachment 1) as a starting place for the Resolution. • The Resolution should clarify what is meant by emergency (note that the proposed Resolution title clarifies the emergency is on a global scale). • The Resolution should acknowledge that upcoming planning processes shall include historically underrepresented voices in the development of the plans, including indigenous communities. • The Resolution should include the educational components that allow individuals to make a difference as well as what the community can do overall. Per direction from the July 8 Leadership Planning Team meeting, staff shared a draft Resolution in the August 8 Thursday Council Packet in advance of the August 20 Council Meeting. (Attachment 2) In addition to developing the Resolution, staff will visit with the Climate Action Plan (CAP) Community Advisory Committee (CAC) on August 16 to review the draft Resolution and will share the CAC’s feedback to Council in a Read- Before Memo prior to the August 20 meeting. CITY FINANCIAL IMPACTS The financial impacts of this Resolution and Fort Collins continued climate commitment will be analyzed through the Our Climate Future planning process, which includes updates to the Climate Action Plan, Energy Policy, and Road to Zero Waste Plan, as discussed at the July 23, 2019 Council Work Session. Agenda Item 19 Item # 19 Page 2 BOARD / COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION At its July 17, 2019 meeting, the Natural Resources Advisory Board elected to discuss the concept of the Resolution, which it unanimously supported. (Attachment 3) PUBLIC OUTREACH No additional outreach was conducted beyond the CAP CAC and NRAB’s input. ATTACHMENTS 1. January 2017 Letter from Mayor Troxell to then President-Elect Trump (PDF) 2. Draft Resolution Released on August 8 (with Council memo and attachments) (PDF) 3. Natural Resources Advisory Board Minutes, July 19, 2019 (draft) (PDF) 4. Powerpoint Presentation (PDF) ATTACHMENT 1 ATTACHMENT 2 NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD REGULAR MEETING July 17, 2019 - 6:00pm 300 LAPORTE AVE, FORT COLLINS - CIC ROOM 07/17/2019 – DRAFT MINUTES - excerpt Page 1 1. CALL TO ORDER – 6:07pm • Board Members Present: • Nancy DuTeau – Chair • Elizabeth Hudetz • Danielle Buttke – Vice Chair • Drew Derderian • Kevin Krause • Barry Noon • Bob Mann • Board Members Absent: • None absent • Staff Members: • Lindsay Ex • Rachel Rogers • Cassie Archuleta • Community Members Present: • David Tweedale • Alan Braslau • Nick Francis • Will Richeill • Viviana Montalvo … ________________________________________________________ … c. Resolution to Declare a Climate Emergency – 7:45 – 8:15 p.m. Lindsay Ex, Climate Program Manager 1. Background: a. Community member participation at two Council meetings b. Council direction on July 2 Regular Meeting c. Should be consistent with current policy d. Reinforced and focus on local values, solutions and commitments while recognizing global challenges and local impacts i. Question - Are resolutions really that effective? e. Clarify what is meant by an emergency f. Acknowledge that upcoming planning processes should include traditionally underrepresented voices, including indigenous communities g. “Our Climate Future” work will be centered with equity h. July 10 – Memo to council confirming Concepts i. August 8 – Memo to Council containing Draft Resolution j. August 20 – Council Consideration ATTACHMENT 3 NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD REGULAR MEETING July 17, 2019 - 6:00pm 300 LAPORTE AVE, FORT COLLINS - CIC ROOM 07/17/2019 – DRAFT MINUTES - excerpt Page 2 2. Discussion Question: What feedback does NRAB have on the proposed Resolution? DANIELLE: tied to definitive outcomes and actions. While it’s not tied to a specific outcome, it should be considered because of the social norm impacts it may have BARRY: What constitutes an emergency? BARRY: Specifically addressed the scale of the impact. Language can strain the understanding and lead to poor decision making. Emergency is looked at in an acute way, rather than chronic, broad in scale, effectively irreversible. How we have dealt with things in the past does not tell us how we should deal with these things how they are happening now. We live in a finite world with a fixed amount of energy. We fundamentally are experiencing novel problems that we have not been exposed to before. Amazing how progressive the thinking is in Fort Collins and city staff. Also, what is a non-emergency? KEVIN: Notion of being a leader and can we impact the other communities, if it’s an impetus to act, let’s call it an emergency. Lead the way to create a sustainable string to hold things together. BOB: Book: Importance of Movements, looking to past as a species and what progress has been made. The courage to declare something as an emergency could impact the next big movement for change. He supports moving forward in supporting a memo to Council. When will we have access to the City release of the Draft? (August 8) NANCY: We would need to do individual emails to Council BOB: or move the August meeting up LINDSAY: Proposed title around how does the City acknowledge the global emergency while reaffirming Fort Collins commitment to local action? DANIELLE: Is the work acknowledge intentional? LINDSAY: Listed on August 20th Regular meeting of six-month calendar. Difference between what we can control, versus what we can influence NANCY: If it’s a resolution, we can simply state that we support KEVIN: show that we want to acknowledge and reaffirm areas that we feel tied to that ELIZABETH: Encouraging action is a positive thing to ensure more change BOB: We could affirm the concept of the resolution as NRAB, and then individual members of NRAB could individually express their support of the specific resolution 3. Motion BOB Second ELIZABETH 4. Support Councils’ consideration of a resolution on the basis that it supports future action because climate change threatens our future and we encourage action. The board will provide more specific recommendations to continue contributing to solutions. 5. Bob will re-write and circulate the exact statement that will result in a memo from NRAB 6. Approved Unanimously 7. Viv with Extinction Rebellion Fort Collins– what is the climate emergency? This has to be done asap. 1 Jeff Mihelich, Lindsay Ex August 20, 2019 Resolution Acknowledging the Global Climate Emergency and Reaffirming Fort Collins’ Commitment to Climate Action ATTACHMENT 4 Background • Community member participation at two Council meetings • Council direction on July 2 Regular Meeting: • Should be consistent with current policy • Reinforce and focus on local values, solutions and commitments while recognizing global challenges and local impacts • Clarify what is meant by an emergency • Acknowledge that upcoming planning processes should include historically underrepresented voices, including indigenous communities Process & Consideration • July 10 – Memo outlines concepts • July 17 – NRAB - supports Resolution • August 8 – Council Memo releasing Draft Resolution • August 16 – CAP Community Advisory Committee reviews Draft Resolution • August 20 – Council Consideration Consideration: Resolution 2019 – 091 Resolution Acknowledging the Global Climate Emergency and Reaffirming Fort Collins’ Commitment to Climate Action Consideration: Resolution 2019 – 091 Resolution Acknowledging the Global Climate Emergency and Reaffirming Fort Collins’ Commitment to Climate Action -1- RESOLUTION 2019-091 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS ACKNOWLEDGING THE GLOBAL CLIMATE EMERGENCY AND REAFFIRMING THE CITY’S COMMITMENT TO CLIMATE ACTION WHEREAS, on November 16, 1999, the City Council adopted Resolution 1999-137, “Establishing a Policy to Take Cost-effective Actions that Benefit the Community to Reduce Local Greenhouse Gas Emissions,” which established the City’s commitment to reduce its contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions; and WHEREAS, on March 3, 2015, City Council adopted Resolution 2015-030, establishing updated goals to reduce emissions to 20% below 2005 levels by 2020, reduce emissions to 80% below 2005 levels by 2030, and to be carbon neutral by 2050; and WHEREAS, Fort Collins has achieved net reductions in emissions and more significant reductions in per capita emissions, yet is experiencing upward pressure on emissions, largely due to increasing population; and WHEREAS, these goals have led to investments and benefits in Fort Collins, such as: • businesses saving more than $9.8M annually from improved efficiencies; • diverting about 60% of waste from the landfill while exploring waste streams into profit streams; • doubling transit ridership in the past four years and ensuring more equitable access with expanded service; • engaging thousands of residents annually in positive, simple actions they can take to save time and money while impacting these goals; and • deploying technology investments that monitor and adjust traffic management in real-time to reduce congestion and emissions; and WHEREAS, the City recognizes that cities can be the practitioners and innovators of “leading by example” and scaling up practical solutions; and WHEREAS, the City is committed to sharing our experience and best practices with other communities and is a member of Colorado Communities for Climate Action, Climate Mayors, Urban Sustainability Directors Network, and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy; and WHEREAS, a recent study by the Rocky Mountain Institute found that if all the cities, states, and businesses achieve their existing climate action goals, the United States would be almost two-thirds of the way to the national commitments associated with the 2016 Paris Agreement; and WHEREAS, even with these commitments and actions, the impacts of climate change globally are already evident, and many communities and nations are preparing their communities for these impacts; and -2- WHEREAS, an analysis published in 2019 by the Colorado Health Institute indicates warming temperatures, poorer air quality, changing precipitation patterns, and increased wildfire risk are local examples of the climate change impacts Fort Collins and Colorado are facing as a result of climate change; and WHEREAS, on November 20, 2018, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 133, 2018, the Annual Appropriation Ordinance, which funded the update to the City’s Climate Action Plan, Energy Policy, and Road to Zero Waste Plans (“Planning Updates”); and WHEREAS, these Planning Updates will identify the strategies and sequencing needed to achieve the City’s 2030 greenhouse gas reduction, Energy Policy, and Road to Zero Waste goals, and establish the first community-wide resilience strategies; and WHEREAS, these Planning Updates will be centered in equity and will engage residents, businesses, community, and the Climate Action Plan Community Advisory Committee, which consists of residents who provide diverse perspectives, social networks, and expertise to advise City staff as the community works to achieve our greenhouse gas reduction goals; and WHEREAS, centering these Planning Updates in equity means there will be both process- and outcome-based solutions, where all residents and businesses have meaningful opportunities to participate in the planning process in order to co-create outcomes, such as policies, tools, and programs that work for our community; and WHEREAS, the indigenous communities that were displaced as the United States expanded westward into what is today known as northern Colorado, which includes the tribes today known as the Ute, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Lakota, Apache, and Comanche, along with frontline communities, have significant local knowledge and have lived experiences that will enrich the City’s plans and actions; and WHEREAS, these communities had not been engaged in previous local planning processes although they are more at-risk from climate change impacts, and they should be included in the co-creation of the plans to ensure a carbon neutral Fort Collins benefit everyone; and WHEREAS, in light of the foregoing, the Council desires to acknowledge the global climate emergency and reaffirm its commitment to local climate action, as set forth below. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: Section 1. That the City Council hereby makes and adopts the determinations and findings contained in the recitals set forth above. Section 2. That the City Council recognizes the global climate emergency threatens Fort Collins, the State of Colorado, the United States of America, all other nations, and indeed, the entire world. -3- Section 3. That the City Council reaffirms its commitment to the goals set forth by Resolution 2015-030 to reduce emissions to 20% below 2005 levels by 2020, reduce emissions to 80% below 2005 levels by 2030, and to be carbon neutral by 2050, and affirms its commitment to meaningfully engage all community members, both residents and businesses, to partner and develop solutions that reduce emissions. Section 4. That the City Council hereby directs the City Manager to (1) ensure the updates to the Climate Action Plan, Energy Policy, and Road to Zero Waste plans center the processes and outcomes in equity, and (2) solicit additional applications to ensure the Climate Action Plan Community Advisory Committee better represents the Fort Collins community as a whole, including all dimensions of diversity, specifically seeking to include representation from indigenous communities. Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins this 20th day of August, A.D. 2019. _________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _____________________________ City Clerk