County Council Declares ‘Climate Emergency’ Prescribing Greenhouse Gas Reduction
Declaring a “climate emergency,” Montgomery County Council members Tuesday called on the federal, state and other local governments to reduce greenhouse gases 80 percent by 2027 and 100 percent by 2035.
It seeks to “initiate a massive global mobilization to restore a safe climate and build a sustainable economy.”
The resolution was the second in two weeks calling for environmental action. A week ago, the council called on the General Assembly to increase the renewable portfolio standard from 25 percent in 2020 to 50 percent in 2030.
The RPS requires electricity suppliers to procure a portion of its electricity retail sales from renewable resources, such as wind and solar.
The Tuesday resolution calls upon the county’s Executive Branch, Montgomery County Public Schools and the Maryland-National Park and Planning Commission to advise the council over the next six months on methods for accelerating the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Outside the council meeting, Jim Driscoll thanked the members for their support for taking action. He is a part of Climate Mobilization, a national group that wants a “World War II style mobilization to get rid of all the greenhouse gases.”
Here’s a video from Driscoll:
Councilmember George Leventhal said the resolution was drafted as Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands dealt with destructive hurricanes.
“Next year when hurricane season comes let us pray that we will not experience similar devastation, loss of property and loss of life. But the climate is changing. It is changing around our eyes,” Leventhal said.
Here’s a video of Leventhal’s remarks:
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