CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
TWENTY FOURTH COUNCIL
COUNCIL BILL NO. M-20-7 ENACTMENT NO. ______________________
SPONSORED BY: Cynthia D. Borrego
MEMORIAL
title
Urging State Legislators To Adopt Policies And Strategies To Address Climate Change At Upcoming New Mexico State Legislative Sessions (Borrego)
body
URGING STATE LEGISLATORS TO ADOPT POLICIES AND STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE AT UPCOMING NEW MEXICO STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS.
WHEREAS, legislative efforts to address climate change are taking place at all levels of government, including the local, state, national, and international scale; and
WHEREAS, adopting legislation to address climate change at the local and state levels also has significant economic and social benefits, including but not limited to growing the clean energy economy, creating new jobs, improving public health, and building more resilient communities; and
WHEREAS, the City of Albuquerque has enacted a wide variety of legislation and implemented numerous strategies to address climate change in both the private and public sectors since the creation of Albuquerque’s Climate Action Task Force in 2008; and
WHEREAS, the City of Albuquerque recognizes that climate change compounds existing inequities, and that cities and states around the country that have been the most impacted by climate change are those best able to develop solutions; and
WHEREAS, in 2009 the City of Albuquerque produced a Climate Action Plan (CAP) that included input from citizens of the community and addressed carbon offset strategies, carbon neutral buildings, livable neighborhoods, renewable energy, local agriculture, zero waste, and transportation; and
WHEREAS, in 2019 the City of Albuquerque enacted a Resolution endorsing the declaration of a Climate Emergency and revisited the Climate Action Plan that was originally produced in 2009; and
WHEREAS, since 2019 the Climate Action Plan Task Force has been meeting regularly to provide input on strategies for implementation of the CAP, some of which could be implemented at the state level; and
WHEREAS, one way that New Mexico has already started taking action to address climate change was becoming a member of the United States Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of 25 governors committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions consistent with the goals of the Paris Agreement; and
WHEREAS, in 2019 Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a climate executive order that established New Mexico as a member of the United States Climate Alliance and set a statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target of 45% below 2005 levels by 2030; and
WHEREAS, other southwest states like California, Colorado, and Nevada are also members of the United States Climate Alliance that have been enacting policy to address climate change on both a short-term and long-term basis; and
WHEREAS, states like California are now demonstrating impressive outcomes from the implementation of their climate policies; and
WHEREAS, according to the United State Climate Alliance 2019 Fact Sheet, since 2014 California climate investments have preserved or restored over 500,000 acres of land, contracted for over 3,200 units of affordable housing, sprouted 50,000 urban trees, and installed 110,000 efficiency measures in homes statewide; and
WHEREAS, states are showing the nation and the world that ambitious climate action is achievable and that despite the United State federal government’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, states are committed to supporting the international agreement, and are pursuing aggressive climate action to make progress toward its goals; and
WHEREAS, it is both the responsibility and the opportunity of state legislators to revisit legislation at legislative sessions with the aim of strengthening policies and strategies that address climate change on a systemic level.
BE IT MEMORIALIZED BY COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE:
Section 1. The City Council reaffirms its commitment to addressing climate change.
Section 2. The City Council calls on the New Mexico State Legislature to review and strengthen state policies and strategies that address climate change at upcoming State Legislative Session.
Section 3. The City Clerk is directed to send a letter and an email to each member of the state legislative delegation with a copy of this memorial.
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