May 24, 2022
City Council
DATE: May 24, 2022
TO: Mayor Butt and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Vice Mayor Eduardo Martinez
Subject:
Resolution Declaring a Climate Emergency and
Opposing the Expansion of Fossil Fuels
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The financial impact of ceasing the expansion of fossil fuels is unknown at this time.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
On 7/24/2018, the City Council adopted a resolution
declaring a climate emergency, calling for the creation of a Regional Just Transition and Climate Emergency
Mobilization Effort, and committing to continue
participation in regional efforts to mitigate climate change
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
Our entire community is impacted by the health and
safety risks of fossil fuel expansion, and particularly those who also face socioeconomic and health inequities,
including youth, elders, Indigenous people, people of
color, low-income people, those experiencing mental and physical disabilities, those experiencing homelessness, and people with health conditions
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
ADOPT a resolution reaffirming a climate emergency,
committing to policies opposing fossil fuel expansion and accelerating the clean energy transition as part of the safe cities movement, and endorsing the call for a global fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty – Vice Mayor Eduardo Martinez (510-620-6593).
AGENDA
REPORT
May 24, 2022
DISCUSSION:
The construction of new fossil fuel infrastructure and expanded reliance on fossil fuels exposes communities to untenable risks to the public’s health and safety at the local and global levels.
The economic opportunities presented by a clean energy transition far outweigh the opportunities presented by an economy supported by expanding fossil fuel use and extraction.
Our community is committed to a just energy transition and to appropriate investments that offset the impacts of evolving industries and employment as well as ambitious investments in the green infrastructure and industries that will create jobs, decarbonize our economy, and reduce future climate change.
Pursuant to the Richmond’s city charter and the general police powers granted to Richmond, California empowers and authorize Richmond to adopt land use controls to provide for the regulation of land uses within the Richmond jurisdiction and to provide that such uses shall be consistent with applicable law.
Richmond fully recognizes the limits to its authority over transportation and handling of certain goods or other activities imposed by the city charter and finds that this action is within its authority.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Resolution