2021-02-22 21-102 Resolve
02/22/202121-102
02/22/2021
21-102
City Manager
Resolve
N/A
Title, Resolve
Recognizing a Climate Emergency and Committing to a Municipal Climate Action Planning Process Consistent
with the Maine Climate Action Plan, Maine Won't Wait
This resolve will recognize that the planet is experiencing a climate emergency and that the City of Bangor will take necessary
steps to mitigate and eliminate municipal impacts on climate change in accordance with the Climate Action Plan developed by
the State of Maine. This resolve, among other activities, includes the following specific actions to address climate:
(a) Assist Maine in decreasing greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030 and 80% by 2050 at minimum, and achieve carbon
neutrality by 2045; and
(b) Establish a base-line inventory of city-wide greenhouse gas emissions; and
(c) Reduce future city-wide greenhouse gas emissions by prioritizing zero-carbon solutions for local electricity, heating, and
transportation systems; and
(d) Transition municipal operations to renewable energy by 2040;
(e) Seek to integrate climate action into all municipal planning efforts, policies, and procedures; and
(f) Ensure the participation, inclusion, and support of all citizens, including youth, community organizations, academic
institutions, indigenous groups, and racial, gender, immigrant, and disability justice organizations, and others;
(g) Ensure a just transition for local residents and accelerate local adaptation and resilience strategies in preparation for
intensifying local climate impacts.
Council Workshop
02/08/2021
Recommend for passage
New Business
02/22/202121-102
CITY OF BANGOR RESOLVE
02/22/2021
21-102
Schaefer
Recognizing a Climate Emergency and Committing to a Municipal Climate Action Planning Process Consistent
with the Maine Climate Action Plan, Maine Won't Wait
WHEREAS, in October 2018, the United Nations released a special report which projected that limiting
warming to even the dangerous 1.5°C target this century will require an unprecedented transformation of
every sector of the global economy by 2030;
WHEREAS, the Gulf of Maine is warming 99% faster than other oceans around the world, and ocean
acidification and warming ocean temperatures pose a serious economic and cultural risk to Maine;
WHEREAS, climate change has led to marked shifts in local seasonal temperature changes and thus threatens
the natural ecosystems and weather patterns of Bangor economic activity such as tourism and seasonal
recreation, including snowshoeing and other outdoor activities, and public health due to increased local
incidence of tick-borne illnesses such as Lyme Disease;
WHEREAS, over 1,175 local, county, and national governments worldwide, have passed a declaration of
Climate Emergency, including five other municipalities in Maine;
WHEREAS, the State of Maine recently published a four-year climate action plan, Maine Won’t Wait, which
seeks to put Maine on a trajectory to decrease greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030 and 80% by 2050,
and achieve carbon neutrality by 2045;
WHEREAS, achieving these climate goals will require Maine to act with urgency to slow the effects of climate
change and prepare Maine people, communities and environment for climate-related harms to come;
WHEREAS, the City of Bangor is prepared to demonstrate climate leadership as one of Maine’s largest
municipalities;
WHEREAS, addressing climate change will present economic opportunities for the City of Bangor as well as
opportunities to invest in the public good through greater access to economic justice, health, food,
transportation, and housing;
Be it Resolved by the City Council of the City of Bangor that, the City of Bangor recognizes that a climate
emergency threatens our city, state, nation, civilization, humanity, and the natural world;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Bangor will develop a municipal climate action plan, consistent with
Maine Won’t Wait, that will aspire to:
(a) Assist Maine in decreasing greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030 and 80% by 2050 at minimum, and
achieve carbon neutrality by 2045; and
21-102
FEBRUARY 22, 2021
(b) Establish a base -line inventory of city-wide greenhouse gas emissions; and
(c) Reduce future city-wide greenhouse gas emissions by prioritizing zero -carbon solutions
for local electricity, heating, and transportation systems; and
(d) Transition municipal operations to renewable energy by 2040; and
(e) Seek to integrate climate action into all municipal planning efforts, policies, and
procedures; and
(f) Ensure the participation, inclusion, and support of all citizens, including youth,
community organizations, academic institutions, indigenous groups, and racial, gender,
immigrant, and disability justice organizations, and others; and
(g) Ensure a just transition for local residents and accelerate local adaptation and resilience
strategies in preparation for intensifying local climate impacts;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Bangor City Council directs the city manager to establish,
within 90 days, a public process to create a municipal climate action plan consistent with this
resolve;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Bangor joins the global Climate Emergency
Movement and calls on the State of Maine, the United States Congress, the President of the
United States, and all governments and people worldwide to declare a climate emergency,
initiate a climate mobilization to reverse global warming and the ecological crisis, and provide
maximum protection for all people and species of the world; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, in furtherance of this resolution, the City of Bangor shall
submit a certified copy of this resolution to the County Commissioners office, State
Representatives, Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, Governor Janet Mills, and the Maine
Climate Council, and request that all financial, technical, and relevant regulatory assistance in
effectuating this resolution be provided.
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IN CITY COUNCIL
FEBRUARY 22,2021
CO 21-102
Wells Mundell-Wood spoke in favor of the resolve and asked that it be amended to dissolve greenhouse gasses by 2040.
Nhan Ngo, Bill Wood,Ijeoma Obi and Sam Le also spoke in favor of the resolve.
Stephen Brough would like to see more cost estimates before passage.
Motion made and seconded for Passage
Vote: 9—0
Councilors Voting Yes: Davitt,Dubay,Fournier, Hawes,Nichols, Okafor, Schaefer, Sprague,Tremble
Councilors Voting No: None
Passed
CITY CLE