HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025 - RESO 04 - Climate EmergencyCITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO
RESOLUTION NO. 04
SERIES OF 2025
TITLE: A RESOLUTION ACKNOWLEDGING THE CLIMATE
EMERGENCY
WHEREAS, climate change is an urgent crisis presenting a serious threat to life and natural resources, with today’s youth inheriting the consequences of our climate
decisions; and
WHEREAS, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
issued their Sixth Assessment synthesis report in 2023 on the devastating human-
caused impacts of climate change, calling for governments to achieve net-zero emissions as soon as possible, and the most recent 2023 U.S. National Climate
Assessment confirms climate change is causing serious impacts nationwide, with current action insufficient to prevent significant harm to the environment, health, and
the economy; and
WHEREAS, a 2022 poll by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication
and George Mason University found that 70 percent of Americans believe global warming is occurring, and a second poll found that nearly 80 percent of U.S. registered
voters across the spectrum support the development of renewable energy on public
land; and
WHEREAS, the City of Wheat Ridge and Colorado are already experiencing record-breaking impacts of extreme weather and climate-related events including heat waves,
wildfires, decreased snowpack and drought, flooding, and impaired agricultural efforts;
and
WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes that low-income, frontline, and
communities of color have historically been disproportionately affected by climate change, environmental injustice, and systemic inequities, underscoring the need for
increased and immediate action; and
WHEREAS, in 2017 City Council appointed the Sustainable Wheat Ridge committee which has advanced the City’s sustainability efforts through programs, events,
and policy initiatives and in 2024 City Council adopted the updated Sustainability Action Plan addressing eight key focus areas of sustainability within the community.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Mayor and City Council of the City of
Wheat Ridge, Colorado, that the City reaffirms its commitment to addressing the climate crisis as well as the goals and action items within the updated 2024 Sustainability Action
Plan. Wheat Ridge is dedicated to integrating climate and sustainability actions into
municipal operations, collaborating with community partners and peers for greater
collective impact, and pursuing equitable and inclusive climate action while providing outreach, education, and support to all.
DONE AND RESOLVED this 13th day of January 2025.
Bud Starker, Mayor
ATTEST:
Margy Greer, Sr. Deputy City Clerk