Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-09-21; City Council; ; Declaration of a Climate Emergency Meeting Date: Sept. 21, 2021 To: Mayor and City Council From: Scott Chadwick, City Manager Staff Contact: James Wood, Environmental Management Director james.wood@carlsbadca.gov, 760-602-7584 Subject: Declaration of a Climate Emergency Districts: All Recommended Action Adopt a resolution to approve the Declaration of a Climate Emergency. Executive Summary On March 9, 2021, the City Council approved a motion directing staff to return with a resolution endorsing the declaration of a climate emergency. Council Member Schumacher provided a draft template as a starting point (Exhibit 2). Staff reviewed the draft template and now provide an updated version for consideration by the City Council. Discussion Background The federal and state governments, and governments and government agencies around the world, have determined the changes in climate caused by warming pose a threat to people and communities, particularly those along an ocean coast. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, an international agency whose reports are widely considered the most reliable assessments of the topic,1 recently issued its most comprehensive report, Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. The report stated that some of the changes in the climate that have already begun, such as continued sea level rise, are irreversible over hundreds to thousands of years. However, the researchers also reported that strong and sustained reductions in emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases would limit climate change. (See “Climate change widespread, rapid, and intensifying – IPCC”, and Summary for Policymakers.) The report said coastal areas, such as the City of Carlsbad, will experience continued sea level rise throughout the 21st century, with more frequent and severe coastal flooding in low-lying areas and increased coastal erosion. The report also said climate change, among its other 1 The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was created by the United Nations Environment Program and the World Meteorological Organization in 1988 to provide policymakers with regular scientific assessments on climate change, its implications and potential future risks, as well as to develop and provide adaptation and mitigation options. Its reports are broadly viewed as the most comprehensive and reliable assessments of climate change. Sept. 21, 2021 Item #8 Page 1 of 20 impacts, is bringing more intense rainfall and flooding, as well as more intense drought in many regions. Stressing the urgency to aggressively address the climate crisis, the panel reported that there are only 10 years left to mitigate the severest climate change impacts. Globally, coastal cities, like Carlsbad, are expected to continue to experience climate change impacts including drought, extreme heat, increased wildland fires, sea level rise, coastal erosion and variable water supply. On the federal level, the U.S Environmental Protection Agency reports that, “Climate change is real and happening all around us.” The agency states, “Taking action to fight the urgent threat of climate change offers an opportunity to build more resilient infrastructure, protect public health, advance environmental justice, strengthen America's working communities, and spur American technological innovations.” (See United States Environmental Protection Agency, Climate Change) California’s state government recognized the threat of climate change in Assembly Bill 32, the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, which mandated a significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. That law stated, “Global warming poses a serious threat to the economic well-being, public health, natural resources, and the environment of California,” and warned of, “a rise in sea levels resulting in the displacement of thousands of coastal businesses and residences.” The City of Carlsbad, with a median height above sea level of 52 feet, has many low-lying areas along the coast that will likely be at risk of a rising sea level, and a shoreline of sandstone bluffs that are vulnerable to erosion. State of emergency Declaring a climate emergency is an action taken by governments, agencies or institutions to acknowledge that the current state of our environment is in a climate emergency. Many jurisdictions have declared a climate emergency as statements of their commitment to address climate change. The City of Carlsbad already adheres to city policies adopted by the City Council to protect the environment in the face of a changing climate – its Environmental and Sustainability Guiding Principles and the standards and goals in its Climate Action Plan. These guiding city policies were designed to emphasize the importance of protecting Carlsbad’s natural resources and preserve them for the future. A declaration of climate emergency would be consistent with these principles and the Climate Action Plan. Such a declaration would not create additional programs or standards; the city’s Environmental and Sustainability Guiding Principles and Climate Action Plan already provide the framework and the goals for its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change. Indeed, these city environmental guidelines are overarching, and are consistently applied to the entire range of city operations. Declaring a climate emergency would, however, emphasize the city’s commitment to combat climate change and to mitigate its effects in Carlsbad as much as can be done. While the declaration would be symbolic at this point, it provides a clear statement of the city’s commitment to addressing climate change that could be useful to the Sept. 21, 2021 Item #8 Page 2 of 20 city in working with outside agencies, obtaining outside funds and developing possible new programs as needed, and as city resources allow. Former council Member Schumacher provided a template of a Declaration of Climate Emergency during the City Council meeting on March 9, 2021 (Exhibit 2). Staff reviewed it and now provide a revised draft resolution for consideration by the City Council for adoption (Exhibit 1. Exhibit 3 is a version showing the revisions.). Fiscal Analysis This resolution is an acknowledgment of a climate emergency being faced by the city but has no immediate direct actions associated with it. Any actions taken to address this state of climate emergency will be brought to the City Council at a future date, as resources allow, so there are no fiscal impacts associated with this report. Next Steps Upon adoption of the resolution, staff will continue to acknowledge the city’s commitment to climate change and adhere to the city’s Environmental and Sustainability Guiding Principles and Climate Action Plan while considering additional potential options regarding the climate emergency, as resources allow. Environmental Evaluation In keeping with Public Resources Code Section 21065, this action does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act in that it has no potential to cause either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and therefore does not require environmental review. Public Notification and Outreach This item was noticed in keeping with the state's Ralph M. Brown Act and it was available for public viewing and review at least 72 hours before the scheduled meeting date. Exhibits 1. City Council resolution 2. Original template provided by Council Member Schumacher 3. Version of the resolution with revisions highlighted Sept. 21, 2021 Item #8 Page 3 of 20 RESOLUTION NO. 2021-215 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA APPROVING THE DECLARATION OF A CLIMATE EMERGENCY1 EXHIBIT 1 WHEREAS, climate change poses an immediate and long-term threat to the City of Carlsbad in the form of increased drought, air pollution, extreme heat, species stress, negative health effects, sea level rise and increasing wildfires; and WHEREAS, the Carlsbad City Council acknowlec:lges that these conditions constitute an emergency affecting Carlsbad's residents, businesses, and natural resources; and WHEREAS, efforts to control climate change will have many benefits, including cleaner air and water, improved community health, local employment opportunit ies, and cost savings to households, businesses and the city government; and WHEREAS, the intensity of duration of record-breaking temperatures and severe drought conditions continue across California and the West; and WHEREAS, as outlined in the San Diego Summary Report of California's Fourth Climate Change Assessment2, the San Diego region will experience climate change impacts in the form of sea level rise and increased temperatures, _precipitation variability and intensity, drought, wildfire frequency and intensity; and WHEREAS, due to increased drought, heat and extended extreme conditions, the wildfire season in California is now considered to be year-round3, resulting in the loss of life, unprecedented destruction due to wild land fires, contributing to hazardous air quality and economic devastation for millions of people in California; and WHEREAS, the City of Carlsbad is home to three lagoons and nearly seven miles of coastline, making many areas in the city vulnerable to sea level rise; and WHEREAS, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change analysis4 projects that a critical point in our temperature rise is between l .S°C and 2.0°C, that upon reaching a l.S°C increase, there is very likely to be adverse climate, economic and ecological impacts, and that an increase of 2°C could make these conditions far worse and more widespread; and WHEREAS, the best climate models show that limiting our temperature rise to l .S°C may be possible but only with immediate and determined effort5; and 1 A climate emergency is "a situation in which urgent action is required to reduce or halt climate change and avoid potentially irreversible environmental damage resulting from it." "Climate emergency" was the 2019 Oxford Dictionary Word of the Year. https://languages.oup.com/word-of-the-year/2019/ 2 https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2019-11/Reg Report-SUM-CCCM-2018-009 SanDiego ADA.pdf 3 https ://legacy. p ressdem ocrat. com/ specia lsecti o ns/ rebu i Id north bay/ 104 78905-181/ rebu i Id i ng-sono m a-cou nty-1 eaders- i n 4 https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/ 5 https://www.npr.org/2018/10/08/655360909/grim-forecast-from-u-n-on-global-climate-change Sept. 21, 2021 Item #8 Page 4 of 20 WHEREAS, global greenhouse gas emissions have risen, not decreased, from 2017~20196 making action all the more urgent and necessary; and WHEREAS, climate change is estimated from a survey of over 130 studies to lead to the extinction of 8% of p_lant and animal species7, amounting to thousands of species, and other human- caused factors, like habitat loss and degradation, lead to an even greater loss of biodiversity; and WHEREAS, the Carlsbad City Council has made diversity, equity and inclusion a core principle applied to everything the city does; and WHEREAS, low-income communities, communities of color, the young, the disabled, the elderly and indigenous communities in the U.S. and abroad have suffered the gravest consequences of climate change8; and WHEREAS, those who have contributed the most to this global climate and ecological crisis must carry a commensurate burden in reversing it; and WHEREAS, the City of Carlsbad has already taken steps to address climate change, including adopting a Climate Action Plan in 2015 and establishing the Clean Energy Alliance in 2019, providing the community with a choice in energy sources, including 100% renewable sources; and WHEREAS, any meaningful action that stands a chance of success at mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change requires mobilization without delay, in service of the common good and will require structural transformations, serious technological advances and significant changes in collective behavior; and WHEREAS, the City of Carlsbad is best suited to address existing and future climate change impacts on its residents and businesses. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Carlsbad, California, as follows: 1. That the above recitations are true and correct. 2. That the City of Carlsbad declares that a climate emergency threatens our city, region, state, nation and the entire natural world. 3. That the City of Carlsbad commits to ensure environmental, economic and social justice in its climate actions by actively seeking input from all community stakeholders especially those from vulnerable communities. 4. That the City of Carlsbad commits to ensuring the city's actions remain in alignment with the most current scientific findings on climate change and that the city will continue to solicit and rely on the advice and guidance of scientific experts. 6 https://www.c2es.org/content/international-emissions/ 7 http://science.sciencemag.org/ content/348/6234/571. full 8 https://www.kcet.org/shows/tending-nature/the-disproportionate-impact-of-climate-change-on-indigenous- communities Sept. 21, 2021 Item #8 Page 5 of 20 5. That the City of Carlsbad commits to updating the Climate Action Plan9 as necessary to achieve statewide, regional and community priorities. 6. That the City of Carlsbad commits to analyzing local climate change impacts on the existing and future quality of life of its residents and health of its economy and adopting and implementing climate adaptation and resiliency plans and policies that address those impacts. 7. That the City of Carlsbad supports transitioning away from fossil fuel cars, trucks and buses for city fleet vehicles, and commits to promoting electric (or green hydrogen fuel cell) vehicles and continuing its efforts to convert dty fleet vehicles and install electric vehicle charging stations. 8. That the City of Carlsbad builds on its sustainability initiatives to emerge as a leader in green development an.d sustainability by working with the state in developing aggressive standards that support building electrification and alternative transportation modalities. 9. That the City of Carlsbad commits to support climate smart development, which will be achieved through a holistic approach to help build prosperity, end poverty and combat climate change, through the Climate Action Plan. 10. That the City of Carlsbad commits to reducing automobile dependency by actively l working with regional, state and federal organizations such as San Diego Association of Governments, North County Transit District, San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, Amtrak, California Air Resources Board, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and bike and pedestrian groups to increase the viability of active or alternative-transportation throughout the region, in part through the city's Susta.inable Mobility Plan. 11. That the City of Carlsbad commits to continue educating our residents about climate change and actions they can take to combat it. 12. That the City of Carlsbad commits to working with business and community groups, including but not limited to the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce arid the Carlsbad Village Association, to bring increased emphasis on climate awareness to their members such as through continued participation in the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce Green Business Committee and implementation of the Carlsbad Green Business Program. 13. That the City of Carlsbad commits to working with local school districts, colleges and universities to support their students in existing and future programs regarding the severity of the climate crisis, potential impacts on them and their lives, and opportunities for them to take action since they will be the most affected. 14. That the City of Carlsbad endorses a just countywide emergency climate action mobilization effort to reverse global warming, drastically reduce citywide greenhouse gas emissions and safely draw down carbon from the atmosphere as quickly as possible through collaboration with nearby jurisdictions to take advantage of the economy of scale and for united engagement against the common threat of our climate crisis. 15. That the City of Carlsbad commits to work with other jurisdictions (including county, state and federal) to increase concern about the severity of the climate crisis and to lobby for prompt and positive action. 9 https://www.carlsbadca .gov/home/showpublisheddocument/4192/637446665168800000 Sept. 21, 2021 Item #8 Page 6 of 20 1/25/21 Carlsbad My GenAttachment to email RESOLUTION NO. ___________ A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA ENDORSING THE DECLARATION OF A CLIMATE EMERGENCY WHEREAS, since 2016 world leaders from 197 countries recognized the threat from climate change and the urgent need to combat it by signing the Paris Agreement, agreeing to keep warming “well below 2°C (3.6°F) above pre-industrial levels” and to “pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5° (2.7°F)”7; and WHEREAS, over 11,000 scientists from 153 countries have signed a World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency8 declaring that the climate crisis has arrived and is accelerating faster than many scientists and models expected, is more severe than anticipated and is threatening natural ecosystems and the fate of humanity; and WHEREAS, over 1800 jurisdictions around the world have declared Climate Emergencies, including 115 in the United States and 40 in California9; and WHEREAS, efforts to control climate change will have many benefits, such as cleaner air and water, improved human health, local employment, cost savings to households and businesses for energy, and the creation of a stronger and more resilient community; and WHEREAS, due to increased drought, heat, and extended extreme conditions, the wildfire season in California is considered by many at Cal-Fire to be year-round10, and with 2020, not yet complete, we’re seeing unprecedented destruction with the August Complex being the largest ever in the state, and these fires have contributed to hazardous air quality for millions of people in the west; and WHEREAS, California has witnessed extreme temperature events in 2020 including a record 121°F in Los Angeles on September 611; and WHEREAS, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) analysis2 projects that a critical point in our temperature rise is between 1.5°C and 2.0°C, that upon reaching a 1.5°C increase there is very likely to be adverse climate, economic and ecological impacts, and that an increase of 2°C could make these conditions far worse and more widespread; and WHEREAS, the best climate models show that limiting our temperature rise to 1.5°C may be possible but only with immediate and determined effort5; and WHEREAS, global GHG emissions have risen, not decreased, from 2017-20194 making action all the more urgent and necessary; and WHEREAS, climate change is estimated from a survey of over 130 studies to lead to the extinction of 8% of plant and animal species12, amounting to thousands of species, and other human caused factors, like habitat loss and degradation, lead to an even greater loss of biodiversity upon which humans rely; and WHEREAS, indigenous, and low-income communities and communities of color in the US and globally have suffered the harshest consequences from global warming in spite of contributing to it the least13; and EXHIBIT 2 Sept. 21, 2021 Item #8 Page 8 of 20 1/25/21 Carlsbad My GenAttachment to email WHEREAS, justice requires that those who have contributed the most to this global climate and ecological crisis must carry a commensurate burden in reversing it; and WHEREAS, it is an act of moral injustice and cruelty to knowingly subject our fellow human beings now and in the future to societal disintegration, food and clean water shortages, and political and economic collapse, and WHEREAS, since California’s transportation sector generates over half of the state’s GHGs, Governor Newsom’s executive order N-79-20 will require by 2035 all new cars and passenger trucks sold in the state be zero emission14, and WHEREAS, any meaningful action that stands a chance of success at mitigating the effects of climate change requires mobilization without delay, in service of the common good and will require structural transformations, serious technological advances and significant changes in collective behavior. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the City of Carlsbad declare that a climate emergency threatens our cities, towns, region, state, nation and the entire natural world; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Carlsbad commits to ensure environmental, economic, and social justice in its climate actions by actively seeking input from all community stakeholders especially those from vulnerable communities; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED , while the City of Carlsbad has a Climate Action Plan (CAP)15 to mitigate climate change, being the first city in California to adopt a reach code ordinance for water heaters, with its CAP providing actions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation, buildings, solid waste and water use, the city commits to ensuring the city’s actions remain in alignment with the most current scientific findings on climate change and that it will continue to solicit and rely on the advice and guidance of scientific experts BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Carlsbad shall commit to stronger GHG emissions goals when updating its CAP and to update other plans, policies and the distribution of resource as determined necessary to recognize the emergency climate situation as climate impacts are considered in the decision-making process; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Carlsbad approves transitioning away from fossil fuel cars, trucks and busses, and commits to promoting electric (or green hydrogen fuel cell) vehicles; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Carlsbad build on its sustainability “initiatives to emerge as a leader in green development and sustainability” through strong CAP ordinances addressing reach codes and building electrification and alternative transportations modalities within the city; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Carlsbad commits to support climate smart development, including transit; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Carlsbad commits to reducing automobile dependency by actively working with regional, state, and federal organizations such as SANDAG, NCTD, MTS, Amtrak, CARB, EPA and bike and pedestrian groups to increase the viability of alternative transportation throughout the region, in part through the city’s Sustainable Mobility Plan; Sept. 21, 2021 Item #8 Page 9 of 20 1/25/21 Carlsbad My GenAttachment to email BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Carlsbad commits to continue educating our residents about the climate emergency and work to catalyze a just climate mobilization effort at all levels to protect our residents as well as all people and species of the world; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Carlsbad commits to working with business and community groups including but not limited to the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce and the Carlsbad Village Association, to bring increased emphasis on climate awareness to their members; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Carlsbad commits to working with local school districts, colleges and universities to bring attention to their students about the severity of the climate crisis, the potential impacts on them and their lives, and the opportunities for them to take action, since they will be the most affected; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Carlsbad endorses a just, countywide emergency climate action mobilization effort to reverse global warming, to reduce drastically citywide GHG emissions, and safely draw down carbon from the atmosphere as quickly as possible through collaboration with nearby jurisdictions to take advantage of the economy of scale and for united engagement against the common threat of our climate crisis; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Carlsbad shall work with larger jurisdictions (county, state, federal) to increase concern about the severity of the climate crisis and shall lobby for prompt and positive action. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a Regular Meeting of the Carlsbad City Council on _________________________ by the following vote, to wit: AYES: NAYES: ABSENT: ___________________________________________ MATT HALL, Mayor ____________________________________________ BARBARA ENGELSON, City Clerk Sept. 21, 2021 Item #8 Page 10 of 20 1/25/21 Carlsbad My GenAttachment to email 1A climate emergency is "a situation in which urgent action is required to reduce or halt climate change and avoid potentially irreversible environmental damage resulting from it." “Climate emergency” was the 2019 Oxford Dictionary Word of the Year. https://languages.oup.com/word-of-the-year/2019/ 2https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/ 3https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/chapter/spm/ 4https://www.c2es.org/content/international-emissions/ 5https://www.npr.org/2018/10/08/655360909/grim-forecast-from-u-n-on-global-climate-change 6Dr James Hansen, Director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies in June 1988: https://www.sealevel.info/1988_Hansen_Senate_Testimony.html 7https://www.nrdc.org/stories/paris-climate-agreement-everything-you-need-know#sec-whatis 8 https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/70/1/8/5610806 9https://climateemergencydeclaration.org/climate-emergency-declarations-cover-15-million-citizens/) 10https://legacy.pressdemocrat.com/specialsections/rebuildnorthbay/10478905-181/rebuilding-sonoma-county-leaders-in 11https://abc7ny.com/los-angeles-records-citys-highest-temperature-ever-on- record/6412050/#:~:text=Temperatures%20in%20one%20part%20of,with%20a%20dangerous%20heat%20wave 12http://science.sciencemag.org/content/348/6234/571.full 13https://www.kcet.org/shows/tending-nature/the-disproportionate-impact-of-climate-change-on-indigenous- communities 14https://www.gov.ca.gov/2020/09/23/governor-newsom-announces-california-will-phase-out-gasoline-powered- cars-drastically-reduce-demand-for-fossil-fuel-in-californias-fight-against-climate-change/ 15https://www.carlsbadca.gov/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=45385 Sept. 21, 2021 Item #8 Page 11 of 20 RESOLUTION NO. . A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, ENDORSING THE DECLARATION OF A CLIMATE EMERGENCY WHEREAS, since 2016, world leaders from 197 countries recognized the threat from climate change and the urgent need to combat it by signing the Paris Agreement, agreeing to keep warming “well below 2°C (3.6°F) above pre-industrial levels” and to “pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5° (2.7°F)”; and WHEREAS, over 11,000 scientists from 153 countries have signed a World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency declaring that the climate crisis has arrived and is accelerating faster than many scientists and models expected, is more severe than anticipated and is threatening natural ecosystems and the fate of humanity; and WHEREAS, over 1800 jurisdictions around the world have declared Climate Emergencies, including 115 in the United States and 40 in California; and WHEREAS, efforts to control climate change will have many benefits, such as cleaner air and water, improved human health, local employment, cost savings to households and businesses for energy, and the creation of a stronger and more resilient community; and WHEREAS, due to increased drought, heat, and extended extreme conditions, the wildfire season in California is considered by many at Cal-Fire to be year-round, and with 2020, not yet complete, we’re seeing unprecedented destruction with the August Complex being the largest ever in the state, and these fires have contributed to hazardous air quality for millions of people in the west; and WHEREAS, California has witnessed extreme temperature events in 2020 including a record 121°F in Los Angeles on September 6; and WHEREAS, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) analysis projects that a critical point in our temperature rise is between 1.5°C and 2.0°C, that upon reaching a 1.5°C increase there is very likely to be adverse climate, economic and ecological impacts, and that an increase of 2.0°C could make these conditions far worse and more widespread; and EXHIBIT 2 Sept. 21, 2021 Item #8 Page 12 of 20 WHEREAS, the best climate models show that limiting our temperature rise to 1.5°C may be possible but only with immediate and determined effort; and WHEREAS, global GHG emissions have risen, not decreased, from 2017-2019 making action all the more urgent and necessary; and WHEREAS, climate change is estimated from a survey of over 130 studies to lead to the extinction of 8% of plant and animal species, amounting to thousands of species, and other human caused factors, like habitat loss and degradation, lead to an even greater loss of biodiversity upon which humans rely; and WHEREAS, indigenous, and low-income communities and communities of color in the US and globally have suffered the harshest consequences from global warming in spite of contributing to it the least; and WHEREAS, justice requires that those who have contributed the most to this global climate and ecological crisis must carry a commensurate burden in reversing it; and WHEREAS, it is an act of moral injustice and cruelty to knowingly subject our fellow human beings now and in the future to societal disintegration, food and clean water shortages, and political and economic collapse, and WHEREAS, since California’s transportation sector generates over half of the state’s GHGs, Governor Newsom’s executive order N-79-20 will require by 2035 all new cars and passenger trucks sold in the state be zero emission, and WHEREAS, any meaningful action that stands a chance of success at mitigating the effects of climate change requires mobilization without delay, in service of the common good and will require structural transformations, serious technological advances and significant changes in collective behavior. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Carlsbad, California, as follows: 1. The above recitations are true and correct. 2. The City of Carlsbad declares that a climate emergency threatens our cities, towns, region, state, nation and the entire natural world and as such, constitutes a public health crisis and environmental security threat; Sept. 21, 2021 Item #8 Page 13 of 20 3. The City of Carlsbad commits to ensure environmental, economic, and social justice in its climate actions by actively seeking input from all community stakeholders — especially those from disadvantaged and low-income communities, and skilled and trained workforce representatives — and committing to support just transitions1 in jobs; 4. While the City of Carlsbad has a Climate Action Plan (CAP) to mitigate climate change, being the first city in California to adopt a reach code ordinance for water heaters, with its CAP providing actions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation, buildings, solid waste and water use, the city commits to ensuring the city’s actions remain in alignment with the most current scientific findings on climate change and that it will continue to solicit and rely on the advice and guidance of scientific experts; 5. The City of Carlsbad shall commit to stronger GHG emissions goals when updating its CAP and to update other plans, policies and the distribution of resource as determined necessary to recognize the emergency climate situation as climate impacts are considered in the decision-making process; 6. The City of Carlsbad approves transitioning away from fossil fuel cars, trucks and busses, and commits to promoting electric (or green hydrogen fuel cell) vehicles; 7. The City of Carlsbad build on its sustainability “initiatives to emerge as a leader in green development and sustainability” through strong CAP ordinances addressing reach codes and building electrification and alternative transportations modalities within the city; 8. The City of Carlsbad commits to support climate smart development, including transit; 9. The City of Carlsbad commits to reducing automobile dependency by actively working with regional, state, and federal organizations such as SANDAG, NCTD, MTS, Amtrak, CARB, EPA and bike and pedestrian groups to increase the viability of alternative transportation throughout the region, in part through the city’s Sustainable Mobility Plan; 1 “just transition” means a path or plan for those workers displaced by transformations in the economy. Sept. 21, 2021 Item #8 Page 14 of 20 10. The City of Carlsbad commits to continue educating our residents about the climate emergency and work to catalyze a just climate mobilization effort at all levels to protect our residents as well as all people and species of the world; 11. The City of Carlsbad commits to working with business and community groups including but not limited to the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce and the Carlsbad Village Association to bring increased emphasis on climate awareness to their members; 12. The City of Carlsbad commits to working with local school districts, colleges and universities to bring attention to their students about the severity of the climate crisis, the potential impacts on them and their lives, and the opportunities for them to take action, since they will be the most affected; 13. The City of Carlsbad endorses a just, countywide emergency climate action mobilization effort to reverse global warming, to reduce drastically citywide GHG emissions, and safely draw down carbon from the atmosphere as quickly as possible through collaboration with nearby jurisdictions to take advantage of the economy of scale and for united engagement against the common threat of our climate crisis; 14. The City of Carlsbad shall work with larger jurisdictions (county, state, federal) to increase concern about the severity of the climate crisis and shall lobby for prompt and positive action. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Carlsbad on the __ day of ________, 2021, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: NAYS: ABSENT: _________________________ MATT HALL, Mayor _________________________ BARBARA ENGLESON, City Clerk (SEAL) Sept. 21, 2021 Item #8 Page 15 of 20 RESOLUTION NO. ___________ A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA APPROVENDORSING THE DECLARATION OF A CLIMATE EMERGENCY1 WHEREAS, since 2016, world leaders from 197 countries recognized the threat from climate change and the urgent need to combat it by signing the Paris Agreement, agreeing to keep warming “well below 2°C (3.6°F) above pre-industrial levels” and to “pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5° (2.7°F)”7 ; and WHEREAS, over 11,000 scientists from 153 countries have signed a World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency declaring that the climate crisis has arrived and is accelerating faster than many scientists and models expected, is more severe than anticipated and is threatening natural ecosystems and the fate of humanity; and WHEREAS, climate change poses an immediate and long- term threat to the City of Carlsbad in the form of increased drought, air pollution, extreme heat, species stress, negative health effects, sea level rise and increasing wildfires; and WHEREAS, the Carlsbad City Council acknowledges that these conditions constitute an emergency affecting Carlsbad’s residents, businesses, and natural resources; and WHEREAS, over 1,800 jurisdictions around the world have declared Climate Emergencies, including 115 in the United States and 40 in California; and WHEREAS, efforts to control climate change will have many benefits, such asincluding cleaner air and water, improved human community health, local employment opportunities, and cost savings to households, and businesses and the city governmentfor energy, and the creation of a stronger and more resilient community; and WHEREAS, the intensity of duration of record-breaking temperatures and severe drought conditions continue across California and the West; and WHEREAS, as outlined in the San Diego Summary Report of California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment2, the San Diego region will experience climate change impacts in the form of sea level rise and increased temperatures, precipitation variability and intensity, drought, wildfire frequency and intensity; and WHEREAS, due to increased drought, heat, and extended extreme conditions, the wildfire season in California is now considered by many at Cal- Fire to be year-round3, and with 2020, , not yet complete, we’re seeing resulting in the loss of life, unprecedented destruction due to wildland 1 A climate emergency is "a situation in which urgent action is required to reduce or halt climate change and avoid potentially irreversible environmental damage resulting from it." “Climate emergency” was the 2019 Oxford Dictionary Word of the Year. https://languages.oup.com/word-of-the-year/2019/ 2 https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2019-11/Reg_Report-SUM-CCCA4-2018-009_SanDiego_ADA.pdf 3 https://legacy.pressdemocrat.com/specialsections/rebuildnorthbay/10478905-181/rebuilding-sonoma-county-leaders- in Sept. 21, 2021 Item #8 Page 16 of 20 fires, with the August Complex being the largest ever in the state, and these fires have contributeingd to hazardous air quality and economic devastation for millions of people in Californiathe west; and WHEREAS, California has witnessed extreme temperature events in 2020, including a record 121°F in Los Angeles on September 6; and WHEREAS, the City of Carlsbad is home to three lagoons and nearly seven miles of coastline, making many areas in the city vulnerable to sea level rise; and WHEREAS, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) analysis4 projects that a critical point in our temperature rise is between 1.5°C and 2.0°C, that upon reaching a 1.5°C increase, there is very likely to be adverse climate, economic and ecological impacts, and that an increase of 2°C could make these conditions far worse and more widespread; and WHEREAS, the best climate models show that limiting our temperature rise to 1.5°C may be possible but only with immediate and determined effort5; and WHEREAS, global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have risen, not decreased, from 2017- 20196 making action all the more urgent and necessary; and WHEREAS, climate change is estimated from a survey of over 130 studies to lead to the extinction of 8% of plant and animal species7, amounting to thousands of species, and other human- caused factors, like habitat loss and degradation, lead to an even greater loss of biodiversity upon which humans rely; and WHEREAS, as outlined in the San Diego Summary Report of California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment, the San Diego region will experience climate change impacts in the form of sea level rise and increased temperatures, precipitation variability and intensity, drought, wildfire frequency and intensity; and WHEREAS, the Carlsbad City Council has made diversity, equity and inclusion a core principle applied to everything the city does; and WHEREAS, indigenous, and low-income communities, and communities of color, the young, the disabled, the elderly and indigenous communities in the U.S. and globally abroad have suffered the harshest gravest consequences from global warming in spite of contributing to it the leastof climate change8; and WHEREAS, justice requires that those who have contributed the most to this global climate and ecological crisis must carry a commensurate burden in reversing it; and 4 https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/ 5 https://www.npr.org/2018/10/08/655360909/grim-forecast-from-u-n-on-global-climate-change 6 https://www.c2es.org/content/international-emissions/ 7 http://science.sciencemag.org/content/348/6234/571.full 8 https://www.kcet.org/shows/tending-nature/the-disproportionate-impact-of-climate-change-on-indigenous- communities Sept. 21, 2021 Item #8 Page 17 of 20 WHEREAS, it is an act of moral injustice and cruelty to knowingly subject our fellow human beings now and in the future to societal disintegration, food and clean water shortages, and political and economic collapse, and WHEREAS, the City of Carlsbad has already taken steps to address climate change, including adopting a Climate Action Plan in 2015 and establishing the Clean Energy Alliance in 2019, providing the community with a choice in energy sources, including 100% renewable sources; and WHEREAS, since California’s transportation sector generates over half of the state’s GHGs, Governor Newsom’s eExecutive oOrder N-79-20 will require by 2035 all new cars and passenger trucks sold in the state be zero emission, and WHEREAS, any meaningful action that stands a chance of success at mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change requires mobilization without delay, in service of the common good and will require structural transformations, serious technological advances and significant changes in collective behavior; and WHEREAS, the City of Carlsbad is best suited to address existing and future climate change impacts on its residents and businesses. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Carlsbad, California, as follows: 1. That the above recitations are true and correct. 1. That the 1.2. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the City of Carlsbad declares that a climate emergency threatens our cityies, towns, region, state, nation and the entire natural world.; 2.3. That BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Carlsbad commits to ensure environmental, economic, and social justice in its climate actions by actively seeking input from all community stakeholders especially those from vulnerable communities.; 3. TBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED , while that the City of Carlsbad has a Climate Action Plan (CAP) to mitigate climate change, being the first city in California to adopt a reach code ordinance for water heaters, with its CAP providing actions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation, buildings, solid waste and water use, the city commits to ensuring the city’s actions remain in alignment with the most current scientific findings on climate change and that the cityit will continue to solicit and rely on the advice and guidance of scientific experts. 4. 5. ThatBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Carlsbad shall commits to updating the Climate Action Plan (CAP) with stronger GHG emission reductions goals 9 when updating its CAP and to update other plans, policies and the distribution of resource as determined necessary to recognize the emergency climate situationachieve statewide, and regional and community prioritiestargets as climate impacts are considered in the decision-making process.; 9 https://www.carlsbadca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/4192/637446665168800000 Sept. 21, 2021 Item #8 Page 18 of 20 4.6. ThatBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Carlsbad shall commits to analyzing local climate change impacts on the existing and future quality of life of its residents and health of its economy and adopting and implementing climate adaptation and resiliency plans and policies that address those impacts.; 5.7. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,That the City of Carlsbad approves supports transitioning away from fossil fuel cars, trucks and busses for city fleet vehicles, and commits to promoting electric (or green hydrogen fuel cell) vehicles and continuing its efforts to convert city fleet vehicles and install electric vehicle charging stations.; 6.8. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,That the City of Carlsbad builds on its sustainability “initiatives to emerge as a leader in green development and sustainability” through by working with thestrong CAP ordinances state in areas such as developing aggressive standards that support addressing reach codes and areas such as building electrification and alternative transportations modalities within the city.; 7.9. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVEDThat, the City oof Carlsbad commits to support climate smart development, including transitwhich will be achieved through a holistic approach to help build prosperity, end poverty and combat climate change, through the Climate Action Plan.; 8.10. ThatBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Carlsbad commits to reducing automobile dependency by actively working with regional, state, and federal organizations such as San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), North County Transit District (NCTD), San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), Amtrak, California Air Resources Board (CARB), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and bike and pedestrian groups to increase the viability of active or alternative transportation throughout the region, in part through the city’s Sustainable Mobility Plan.; Mar. 9, 2021 Item #7 Page 6 of 121/25/21 Carlsbad My GenAttachment to email 9.11. ThatBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Carlsbad commits to continue educating our residents about climate change and actions they can take to combat itthe climate emergency and work to catalyze a just climate mobilization effort at all levels to protect our residents as well as all people and species of the world.; 10.12. ThatBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Carlsbad commits to working with business and community groups, including but not limited to the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce and the Carlsbad Village Association, to bring increased emphasis on climate awareness to their members such as including, but not limited to,through continued participation in the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce Green Business Committee and implementation of the Carlsbad Green Business Program.; 11.13. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,That the City of Carlsbad commits to working with local school districts, colleges and universities to bring attention tosupport their students in existing and future programs regardingabout the severity of the climate crisis, the potential impacts on them and their lives, and the opportunities for them to take action, since they will be the most affected.; 12.14. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,That the City of Carlsbad endorses a just, countywide emergency climate action mobilization effort to reverse global warming, drastically to reduce drastically citywide greenhouse gasGHG emissions, and safely draw down carbon from the atmosphere as quickly as possible through collaboration with nearby jurisdictions to take advantage of the economy of scale and for united engagement against the common threat of our climate crisis.; Sept. 21, 2021 Item #8 Page 19 of 20 15. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,That the City of Carlsbad commits to shall work with largerother jurisdictions (including county, state, and federal) to increase concern about the severity of the climate crisis and shall to lobby for prompt and positive action. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Carlsbad on the __ day of ________, 2021, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: NAYS: ABSENT: _____________________________________ MATT HALL, Mayor ______________________________________ FAVIOLA MEDINA, City Clerk Services Manager (SEAL) Sept. 21, 2021 Item #8 Page 20 of 20 Tammy Cloud-McMinn From: Sent: To: Subject: Harold Loyd <haroldloyd99@gmail.com> Monday, September 20, 2021 7:53 PM City Clerk Agenda Item 8 Declaration of a Climate Emergency I am writing to express my support for adoption of this declaration. Science informs us that our planet is in crisis and that bold immediate action is necessary to leave a livable home to our children and heirs. Recognizing the emergency is a first step in building the actions that must be taken. I urge you in the strongest terms to adopt the climate emergency declaration. Harold Standerfer Political Committee Chairperson North Coastal Group Sierra Club Sent from my iPad CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Tammy Cloud-McMinn From: Sent: To: Subject: Dear Carlsbad City Council, Carla R. <cvelasc@gmail.com> Monday, September 20, 2021 9:04 PM City Clerk Agenda Item 8 I support Carlsbad declaring a climate emergency. I hope we can work together to better that beautiful city, our communities, and the planet. Thank you, ~carla Ruiz-Velasco https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlaruiz-velasco/ CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless ou reco nize the sender and know the content i safe. 1 Tammy Cloud-McMinn From: Sent: To: Subject: lihart56@gmail.com Tuesday, September 21 , 2021 9:22 AM City Clerk Adopt the Carlsbad Climate Emergency Resolution Dear Mayor Hall and Council Members, As a parent of two young adults and a resident of Carlsbad and this beautiful planet we all reside upon, I urge you to strengthen Carlsbad's commitment to sustainability by adopting the Climate Emergency Resolution (expected to return for your vote on September 21, 2021). Not only do I implore you to pass the resolution, I request that you immediately allocate staff and budget time to work on creation of programs, regulatory amendments, and partnership efforts at all levels that show Carlsbad is truly committed to addressing the Climate Emergency we now face. Mike Grim has done a great job as the city CAP manager, and the city made a big investment along with other jurisdictions to help create the formation of the Clean Energy Alliance CCA. More and more solar is going in and the city's commitment to being a bike and pedestrian friendly community is becoming more evident. Carlsbad has received a lot of credit for being the first CA city with a reach code. All good, but there is plenty more that can be done. One of the best ways the City can advance their commitment to addressing climate change is by example. Some relevant steps to take would be to: • Replace all future retired city vehicles with zero emission vehicles. • Commit to 100% renewable energy for city facilities by 2035. • Encourage/reward city employees for walking/biking or using mass transit • Allow those employees who can, to work from home permanently • Phase out use of gas-powered landscape tools by our Parks and Recreation Department and it's contractors to the extent that is practically possible (they are a largely an unnecessary source of noise and particulate pollution as well as adding to CO2 emissions). • Secure more public open space, expand our bike/trail networks, plant more trees (preferable native varieties). As I am focusing my comments on ways the city might advance itself as a 'green' city by example, I strongly suggest the creation of an Office of Sustainability and the Environment. Having such a department would not only show Carlsbad's commitment to addressing the Climate Crisis, it could be a great means of coordinating sustainability efforts across all city departments. Addressing the Climate Emergency must be a top priority for our City as well as all others. Let's do all we can to ensure that our young people are offered the same opportunities for a healthy, sustainable life on this planet as we all have been. Please adopt the Carlsbad Climate Emergency Resolution when it comes before you in September and move swiftly to implement its clauses. Respectfully submitted, Lisa Roop Carlsbad resident 1 Tammy Cloud-McMinn From: Sent: To: Subject: lihart56@gmail.com Tuesday, September 21, 2021 9:45 AM City Clerk Item 8: Adopt the Carlsbad Climate Emergency Resolution Dear Mayor Hall and Council Members, As a parent of two young adults and a resident of Carlsbad and this beautiful planet we all reside upon, I urge you to strengthen Carlsbad's commitment to sustainability by adopting the Climate Emergency Resolution (expected to return for your vote on September 21, 2021}. Not only do I implore you to pass the resolution, I request that you immediately allocate staff and budget time to work on creation of programs, regulatory amendments, and partnership efforts at all levels that show Carlsbad is truly committed to addressing the Climate Emergency we now face. Mike Grim has done a great job as the city CAP manager, and the city made a big investment along with other jurisdictions to help create the formation of the Clean Energy Alliance CCA. More and more solar is going in and the city's commitment to being a bike and pedestrian friendly community is becoming more evident. Carlsbad has received a lot of credit for being the first CA city with a reach code. All good, but there is plenty more that can be done. One of the best ways the City can advance their commitment to addressing climate change is by example. Some relevant steps to take would be to: • Replace all future retired city vehicles with zero emission vehicles. • Commit to 100% renewable energy for city facilities by 2035. • Encourage/reward city employees for walking/biking or using mass transit • Allow those employees who can, to work from home permanently • Phase out use of gas-powered landscape tools by our Parks and Recreation Department and it's contractors to the extent that is practically possible (they are a largely an unnecessary source of noise and particulate pollution as well as adding to CO2 emissions}. • Secure more public open space, expand our bike/trail networks, plant more trees (preferable native varieties}. As I am focusing my comments on ways the city might advance itself as a 'green' city by example, I strongly suggest the creation of an Office of Sustainability and the Environment. Having such a department would not only show Carlsbad's commitment to addressing the Climate Crisis, it could be a great means of coordinating sustainability efforts across all city departments. Addressing the Climate Emergency must be a top priority for our City as well as all others. Let's do all we can to ensure that our young people are offered the same opportunities for a healthy, sustainable life on this planet as we all have been. Please adopt the Carlsbad Climate Emergency Resolution when it comes before you in September and move swiftly to implement its clauses. Respectfully submitted, Lisa Roop Carlsbad resident 1 Tammy Cloud-McMinn From: Sent: To: Subject: Attachments: Sally Prendergast <sa11yp123@me.com> Tuesday, September 21, 2021 10:38 AM City Clerk Climate Emergency Resolution cbad ce.pdf CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Hector Gomez All Receive - Agenda Item # For the Information of the: CITY, COUNCIL Date 9/91/2/CA k CC )5- CM X- ACM X- DCM (3) X From: David Hartwell <da.hartwell@sbcglobal.net> Sent: Monday, September 13, 2021 8:18 AM To: City Clerk Subject: Strengthen and adopt the Carlsbad Climate Emergency Resolution Dear Mayor Hall and Council Members, I am writing in support of adoption of the Climate Emergency Resolution (expected to return for your vote on September 21, 2021). I am aware the city has taken several steps to improve our community sustainability and I applaud those efforts, but there is much more to be done. We owe it to future generations to do everything possible to mitigate the effects of the current climate crisis. It must be a top priority for Carlsbad and all other communities. Carlsbad government facilities should commit to being 100% renewable by 2035. There should be a 'no idling' policy adopted for all city departments, not just the police. Solar should be required for all new construction. Carlsbad should support and encourage efforts for working from home and mass transit programs. Please adopt the Carlsbad Climate Emergency Resolution when it comes before you in September. Respectfully submitted, David Hartwell Carlsbad resident Sent from my iPad CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Hector Gomez From: Sue lrey <susan.irey@gmail.com> Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 2021 3:32 PM To: City Clerk Subject: Climate Emergency Resolution comments As a Carlsbad resident, I would like to comment on the Climate Emergency Resolution before the City Council. I believe the City of Carlsbad should endorse a countywide emergency climate action mobilization effort to reverse global warming. Collaboration countywide will take advantage of the economy of scale for united engagement against the common threat of our climate crisis. Carlsbad should stand out as a leader in addressing climate change in a very real manner and push for stronger measures to reduce drastically GHG emissions and safely draw down carbon from the atmosphere as quickly as possible through collaboration with nearby jurisdictions. Sincerely, Sue key CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Hector Gomez From: Mark O'Connor <mark@surfridersd.org > Sent: Monday, September 20, 2021 8:16 AM To: City Clerk Subject: Agenda Item 7 and 8, September 21 meeting Hello Carlsbad City Council Members, My name is Mark O'Connor and I am a co-lead for Surfrider San Diego's Rise Above Plastic committee. Our committee assists cities in their policy work in reducing single use plastic. I am currently a resident of Encinitas but I own a home in Carlsbad which is being occupied by my youngest son, wife and two grandchildren. I am excited to see that the City of Carlsbad is going to declare a climate emergency and to look into ways to reduce single use plastic. These two issues go hand in hand. I see staff is going to present options for you to consider. I ask you to be as bold as possible as you evaluate your options and to improve our environment and health of our citizens. I would recommend a "skip the stuff" ordinance that just makes it where every time you take home some food to eat with your own utensils, you don't have a bag full of plastic forks and spoons when you get home. A part of skip the stuff can include your limiting what materials like plastic and styrofoam can be used by the business, allowing them to find earth friendly alternatives. I'm sure you have seen cleanup data showing cigarette butts as the number one thing recovered but I will say we are starting to see more pieces of styrofoam. They are getting harder to count due to the fact the ocean waves and stones are breaking them into smaller and smaller pieces. I asked you to be bold and one of the things you could do is to eliminate the use and sales of Styrofoam, not only in the restaurant industry but retail sales. We have assisted your sister cities to the South, Encinitas and Solana Beach in accomplishing this measure. We still need time to measure any successes but in my heart these measures will make a difference. To sum this email up, I ask that you take action to protect the environment from plastic and styrofoam products. In so doing, you make the oceans and beaches healthier, your citizens who use the ocean and beaches for recreation/sport will be healthier and you create a clean place for visitors to want to spend their vacation time which helps the local economy. Thank you for you time and for the actions you are about to undertake. You have Surfrider's full support and we will support you in any way possible. Respectfully, Mark Mark O'Connor 760-500-5631 Surfrider I Rise Above Plastics surfridersd.org CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Hector Gomez From: All Jundt <alijundt236@gmail.com> Sent: Friday, September 3, 2021 4:07 PM To: City Clerk Subject: Non-agenda item comments: Climate Emergency Resolution Please share with all the city councilors and make it part of public record. Dear Carlsbad City Council Members, I am an eighth grader at Community Montessori in Carlsbad. I have always been passionate about taking care of our planet. I even started a Pollution Stoppers club with my friend when I was in Elementary school. Pollution is a big problem today but in the future it will be even worse. So we need to reduce what we use. So much plastic is wasted without being used. An example that happens often is someone orders takeout and they get the plastic silverware, but they go home and end up throwing it away without using it. This can easily be stopped and that is why we need you to vote on the climate emergency resolution. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, James Jundt 2177 Vista La Nisa Carlsbad, CA 92009 CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Hector Gomez From: All Jundt <alijundt236@gmail.com> Sent: Friday, September 3, 2021 4:15 PM To: City Clerk Subject: Non-agenda item comments: Climate Emergency Resolution Please share with all the city councilors and make it part of public record. Dear Carlsbad City Council Members, I am a sixth grader, inspired to write about the Climate Change Resolution by my nana. I may be young, but I know from what I have learned about climate change how important it is for us to all take action. The Climate Emergency Resolution is a great way to help. I hope through this, more ideas are sprouted towards contributing and helping. I help the environment by biking and walking instead of driving when I can. I also help in a community garden. Hopefully in the future I can do more. But for now this is what I can do. Thank you for reading my letter, I hope you take it into consideration. Ramona Jundt 2177 Vista La Nisa Carlsbad, CA 92009 CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Hector Gomez From: Council Internet Email Sent: Friday, September 17, 2021 8:40 AM To: City Clerk Cc: James Wood Subject: FW: Please support the Climate Emergency Declaration Original Message From: Mary Hassing <mehassing@gmail.com> Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2021 6:08 PM To: Council Internet Email <CityCouncil@carlsbadca.gov> Subject: Please support the Climate Emergency Declaration Members of the City Council, As a 15-year resident of Carlsbad, I want to know that our city is doing all it can to mitigate the climate crisis. Declaring a climate emergency will send a strong message to city staff, local businesses, and residents that Carlsbad is committed to reaching and exceeding the goals stated in the Climate Action Plan. Jane Goodall has warned us all: "You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make." Please take a stand on September 21 and vote for this declaration. Join other cities in leading the way to a more sustainable environment. Mary Hassing Member, Sierra Club My Gen team, Carlsbad Sent from my iPad CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 ector GorrNez All Receive - Agenda Item # 8 For the Information of the: CITY COUNCIL Date Pig/ CA cc >c cm ACM )( DCM (3) )c From: Diana A <dra805@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 2021 10:54 AM To: City Clerk Subject: agenda #8 DECLARATION OF A CLIMATE EMERGENCY Dear Councilmembers, Please vote yes to adopt the resolution the Declaration of a Climate Emergency. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has declared that there is a "Code Red" regarding our climate emergency. We, as a city, must recognize that we must be proactive to address this climate emergency to protect our community. We no longer deny that we are truly in an emergency and the environment needs to be a priority if we want to continue to live healthy lives. Adopting the Declaration of Climate Emergency will symbolize our City's commitment to combating climate change and mitigate its effect on our Carlsbad communities. Thanks for your consideration. Diana Aguirre Carlsbad D3 resident CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Hector Gomez From: Shelah Ott <shelah@hammondclimatesolutions.com> Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 2021 12:16 PM To: City Clerk Subject: Carlsbad City Council Meeting Agenda Item 8 - DECLARATION OF A CLIMATE EMERGENCY Hi, I hope you're doing well! Please see below my public comment for the Carlsbad City Council meeting, agenda item 8, DECLARATION OF A CLIMATE EMERGENCY. I am speaking on behalf of my organization, Hammond Climate Solutions. Good afternoon Councilmembers, my name is Shelah Ott and I'm speaking on behalf of Hammond Climate Solutions. We have all seen and continue to see devastating storms, heat waves, drought, sea level rise and other climate related disasters becoming more and more commonplace. It is clear that we are already amidst the climate crisis - it is no longer some far off nightmare. It is a true emergency that not only impacts every person, plant and animal, but disproportionately impacts our most vulnerable communities, like communities of concern and the youth. In order for the state of California to fight this climate emergency, we must act like it is one. I am urging you to adopt the resolution, approving the declaration of a climate emergency. It is critical that we move forward with bold climate action that matches the urgency and severity of this true emergency. Thank you for your time. Thank you, Shelah Ott (she/her/hers) Climate Justice Advocate (858) 215-3135 I shelahPhammondclimatesolutions.com Respectfully on Kumeyaay Land Website I Facebook I Twitter l LinkedIn Note: The information contained in this message may be privileged and confidential and protected from disclosure. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, or an employee or agent responsible for delivering this message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by replying to this message. Please also destroy any hard copies and delete this message from your computer. Opinions, conclusions, and any other information in this message that do not relate to the official business of our firm shall be understood as neither given nor endorsed by it. CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Hector Gomez From: Barbara Diamond <diamondbarb@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 2021 12:00 PM To: City Clerk Subject: Carlsbad Emergency decloration #11 Council Members: I strongly urge you to pass the Emergency Decoration I particularly want you to focus on educating the public, ranging from schools, websites, workshops, paid advertising etc.. This is crucial to the success of the legislation regarding Climate Change. I am a member of various social groups and volunteer groups and I have witnessed the general LACK of awareness of what the government is planning to do. There should be a position or even a department to educate the public and "nudge" for change of behaviors. Sincerely, Barbara C Diamond 3808 Skyline Rd, Carlsbad, CA 92008Skyline RD, CB 92008 —Barbara Diamond CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Hector Gomez From: Kathy Parker <casparker@outlook.com> Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 2021 11:07 AM To: City Clerk Subject: Comment on tonight's agenda for council members. Re: item 8.... Please give this item some serious consideration. As parents and grandparents we have a responsibility to do our utmost to leave our kids a healthy living environment. Every decision by the council henceforth on any issue should be done with this in mind. Adopting this resolution gives weight to that end. Kathy Parker Carlsbad resident for 46 years. CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Hector Gomez From: kelly.leberthon12@gmail.com Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 2021 12:32 PM To: City Clerk Subject: comments for Agenda Item 8 Climate Crisis In March 2020, Gov. Newsom declared a state of emergency in response to the pandemic and in June 4, 2021, Gov. Newsom stated that he did not plan to lift the state of emergency even while declaring California "fully reopen." At this point, 18 months later, #WeThePeople have caught on that the persistent claims of crisis by the government to claim A STATE OF EMERGENCY - is all about grabbing power from the people. I would like to see my elected officials speak to the massive increase in cost for electricity and the simultaneous rise in brown outs ... This is shocking and unacceptable. low and middle income citizens bear the brunt of these burdens. "In 2020, California's electricity prices jumped by 7.5%, making it the biggest price increase of any state ..."According to ..the Energy Information Administration... Californians are now paying about 70% more for their electricity than the U.S. average..." and rates are expected to soar over the next decade. The surging cost of electricity will increase the energy burden being borne by low- and middle-income Californians. High energy costs have a particularly regressive effect in California, which has the highest poverty rate—and some of the highest electricity prices—in the country. In 2020, California's all-sector electricity prices were the third-highest in the continental U.S.," https://www.dailysig nal.com/2021/06/25/blackouts-loom-in-california-as-electricity-prices-are- absolutely- exploding/?utm source=TDS Email&utm medium=email&utm campaian=MorninaBell&mkt tok=0DI OLUlIVCOzMDQAAAF99fzvOD- vGNIBtttPcLi7WbgySfZFrQ9UoSskKr8YviQGrY4EYBolGylzeti2fz2TmZ9 F9gUA3NAboaGZGFtper4oxg0Xw ZupAURkAokZSXE48y To the sea rise concerns: https://earthobservatory.nasa.aov/images/147439/californias-rising-and- sinking-coast According to a NASA study -I quote - the "Global sea level has been rising at a rate of 0.1 inches (3.3 millimeters) per year in the past three decades.... "and "the elevation of the land is also changing relative to the sea. What geologists call vertical land motion...—or subsidence and uplift—is a key reason why local rates of sea level rise can differ from the global rate. California offers a good example of how much sea level can vary on a local scale https://www.city-iournal.org/californias- wildfire-problem Should we be concerned about the recent massive fires in the state? Yes - and the government's mismanagement of the forests which are a cause as well as environmental groups that refuse to allow clean up of forest grounds that directly contribute to the massive nature of these out of control blazes. The environmental damage from these out of control, largely preventable fires is measurable: "the fires in 2018 released more than 45 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, producing more than nine times more emissions than were reduced in 2017...Green myopia has also blocked efforts to remove the fuel that drives wildfires. For decades environmental activists, wielding enormous political clout in Sacramento, have obstructed forest thinning, brush removal, and controlled burns whenever possible. These are not outlandish ideas driven by corporate greed but 1 proven methods for containing wildfires. Native Americans had enough "ancient wisdom," says Kolkey, to use controlled burns to manage fire risk. More recently, it was a controlled burn that "slowed the advance" of the California Rim Fire in 2013, says Kolkey, and allowed "firefighters to get ahead of the burn, saving a number of homes." https://www.city-iournal.ora/californias-wildfire- problem And water - this should concern us greatly! And again, our government has let us down. Where is the effort to CAPTURE rainfall and runoff??? Where is the effort to add desalinization plants? Let down by our elected officials on all of these measures. My concerns return to the attempt to declare yet another crisis - I oppose gov't unilaterally increasing their power over the citizens. I object also to the millions of dollars of tax payer money that seem to flow in from these Emergency Powers. The Declaration of Independence reads in part: "That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security." This citizen #DoesNotConsent to the state - the local government - fearmongering the people into a constant state of crisis so that the government can grant themselves MORE power, more MONEY and more CONTROL. Please reject this Declaration of Climate Crisis! CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and know the Content is safe. 2 Hector Gomez From: Council Internet Email Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 2021 12:08 PM To: City Clerk Subject: FW: Comments Re # 8 Climate Emergency Resolution From: Diane Nygaard <dnygaard3@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 2021 11:51 AM To: Council Internet Email <CityCouncil@carlsbadca.gov> Subject: Comments Re # 8 Climate Emergency Resolution Honorable Mayor and City Council: If we do not address climate change, half of the species on earth will be at risk of extinction by 2050—and all of the conservation work by organizations like ours will be meaningless. Leadership today can change that dire outcome. Thank you for recognizing how critical this issue is— and taking this important step to integrate climate in your local decisions. Thank you for adopting this climate crisis resolution today— and for the followup actions that will go beyond words in order to achieve meaningful reductions in GHG. All of us in north county appreciate your leadership on this issue. Diane Nygaard On behalf of Preserve Calavera CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Hector Gomez From: Ashley Giada <ash@cleanearth4kids.org> Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 2021 12:10 PM To: City Clerk Subject: Item 8, Please Pass a Climate Emergency Declaration Dear Mayor and City Council, I support the Carlsbad City Council's Declaration of a Climate Emergency. Carlsbad will show join over 1,933 cities across the world and our state that recognize we must take immediately action on climate to reduce greenhouse gases and pollution. Please vote yes and send a clear message that Carlsbad is taking action on climate change. Thank you, Ashley Giada CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Hector Gomez From: Evelyn LazaIde <elazalde@ucscl.edu> Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 2021 11:03 AM To: City Clerk Subject: Item 8, Please Pass a Climate Emergency Declaration Dear Mayor and City Council, I support the Carlsbad City Council's Declaration of a Climate Emergency. Carlsbad will join our state and over 1,933 cities across the world in recognizing that we must take immediate action to reduce greenhouse gases and pollution in order to fight climate change. Please vote yes and stand for Carlsbad's behalf in taking action to fight climate change. Thank you, Evelyn Clean Earth 4 Kids CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Hector Gomez From: Katie Taylor <katie@taylorplace.com> Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 2021 1:57 PM To: City Clerk Cc: Matthew Hall; Priya Bhat-Patel; Teresa Acosta; Keith Blackburn; Peder Norby Subject: 9/21/2021 - Agenda Item #8 Attachments: Carlsbad Council 9.21.2021 Top 10 Global Warming Lies That May Shock You.pdf The climate change proposal is based off false narratives...a few examples. Katie Taylor Taylor Place Real Estate, Inc./Triad Properties 300 Carlsbad Village Dr. #108A-444 Carlsbad, CA 92008 Cell: (760) 803-1681 E-mail: katie@taylorplace.com CALBRE#10235942 CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Feb 9, 2015, 06:21am EST Top 10 Global Warming Lies That May Shock You *90 James Taylor Former Contributor 0 Opinion I am president of the Spark of Freedom Foundation. 0 This article is more than 6 years old. Global warming alarmists frequently make false and deplorable assertions (see, for example, my recent column debunking false claims that global warming is causing a decline in wheat production), but the Environmental Defense Fund's recent fund-raising mailer, "10 Global Warming Effects That May Shock You," may well set a new low. However, climate realists can make lemonade from EDF's preposterous mailer by using it to show open- minded people the difference between global warming alarmists and global warming truth-tellers. EDF has assembled what it believes to be the io most powerful global warming assertions in the alarmists' playbook, yet each assertion either backfires on alarmists or has been proven false. While reading how flawed EDF's assertions are, remember these are the very best arguments global warming alarmists can make. Open-minded readers should have very little difficulty dismissing the mythical global warming crisis after examining the top 10 assertions in the alarmist playbook. Alarmist Assertion #1 Get unlimited accet Cookie Preferences The Facts Global warming alarmists' preferred electricity source — wind power — kills nearly 1 million bats every year (to say nothing of the more than 500,000 birds killed every year) in the United States alone. This appalling death toll occurs every year even while wind power produces just 3% of U.S. electricity. Ramping up wind power to 10, 20, or 30% of U.S. electricity production would likely increase annual bat kills to lo-to-30 million every year. Killing 30 million bats every year in response to dubious claims that global warming might once in a great while kill 100,000 bats makes no sense. Just as importantly, alarmists present no evidence that global warming caused the summer heat wave in a notoriously hot desert near the equator. To the contrary, climate change theory and objective data show our recent global warming is occurring primarily in the winter, toward the poles, and at night. Australia's highest recorded temperature occurred more than half a century ago, and only two of Australia's seven states have set their all-time temperature record during the past 40 years. Indeed, Queensland's 2014 heat wave paled in comparison to the 1972 heat wave that occurred 42 years of global warming ago. If global warming caused the 2014 Queensland heat wave, why wasn't it as severe as the 1972 Queensland heat wave? Blaming every single summer heat wave or extreme weather event on global warming is a stale and discredited tactic in the alarmist playbook. Objective science proves extreme weather events such as hurricanes, tornadoes, heat waves, and droughts have become less frequent and less severe as a result of the Earth's recent modest warming. Get unlimited accee Cookie Preferences Windmills for electric power production, Zaragoza Province, Aragon, Spain. Getty Alarmist Assertion #2 "Lyme Disease Spreads" — Warmer temperatures are contributing to the range expansion and severity of tick-borne Lyme disease." The Facts Lyme Disease is much more common in northern, cooler regions of the United States than in southern, warmer regions. Asserting, without any supporting data or evidence, that a disease that prospers in cool climates will become more prevalent as a result of global warming defies objective data and common sense. Moreover, a team of scientists extensively researched Lyme Disease climate and habitat and reported in the peer- reviewed science journal EcoHealth, "the only environmental variable consistently association with increased [Lyme Disease] risk and incidence was the presence of forests." Granted, alarmists can argue that forests are thriving under global warming, with the result that forest-dwelling ticks will also benefit. However, expanding forests are universally — and properly — viewed as environmentally beneficial. Alarmist attempts to frame thriving forests as 1- ----Z.-1 411- 4- Get Lmtimited accef. Cookie Preferences Moreover, even if global warming expanded Lyme Disease range, one must look at the totality of global -warming's impact on the range of viruses and diseases. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports Lyme Disease "is rare as a cause of death in the United States." According to the CDC, Lyme Disease is a contributing factor to less than 25 deaths per year in the United States. Indeed, during a recent five-year span examined by the CDC, "only 1 [death] record was consistent with clinical manifestations of Lyme Disease." Any attempts to claim global warming will cause a few more Lyme Disease deaths must be weighed against the 36,000 Americans who are killed by the flu each year. The U.S. National Institutes of Health have documented how influenza is aided and abetted by cold climate. Any attempt to connect a warmer climate to an increase in Lyme Disease must be accompanied by an acknowledgement of a warmer climate's propensity to reduce influenza incidence and mortality. The net impact of a warmer climate on viruses and diseases such as Lyme Disease and influenza is substantially beneficial and life-saving. Alarmist Assertion #3 "National Security Threatened — The impacts of climate change are expected to act as a 'threat multiplier' in many of the world's most unstable regions, exacerbating droughts and other natural disasters as well as leading to food, water and other resource shortages that may spur mass migrations." The Facts The alarmists' asserted national security threat depends on assertions that (1) global warming is causing a reduction in food and water supplies and (2) migrations of people to places with more food and water will increase risks of military conflict. Objective facts refute both assertions. Cookie Preferences Get unlimited ace5 production. Longer growing seasons and fewer frost events also benefit plant growth and crop production. As this column has repeatedly documented (see articles here, here, and here, for example), global crops set new production records virtually every year as our planet modestly warms. If crop shortages cause national security threats and global warming increases crop production, then global warming benefits rather than jeopardizes national security. The same holds true for water supplies. Objective data show there has been a gradual increase in global precipitation and soil moisture as our planet warms. Warmer temperatures evaporate more water from the oceans, which in turn stimulates more frequent precipitation over continental land masses. The result of this enhanced precipitation is an improvement in soil moisture at almost all sites in the Global Soil Moisture Data Bank. If declining precipitation and declining soil moisture are military threat multipliers, than global warming is creating a safer, more peaceful world. Alarmist Assertion #4 "Sea Levels Rising — Warmer temperatures are causing glaciers and polar ice sheets to melt, increasing the amount of water in the world's seas and oceans." The Facts The pace of sea level rise remained relatively constant throughout the 20th century, even as global temperatures gradually rose. There has similarly been no increase in the pace of sea level rise in recent decades. Utilizing 20th century technologies, humans effectively adapted to global sea level rise. Utilizing 21st century technologies, humans will be even better prnihrpA tn arin nt tn alnhnl QPn loyal ricP Cookie Preferences Get unlimited acces Arctic ice sheet, that decline has been completely offset by ice sheet expansion in the Antarctic. Cumulatively, polar ice sheets have not declined at all since NASA satellite instruments began precisely measuring them 35 years ago. Alarmist Assertion #5 "Allergies Worsen — Allergy sufferers beware: Climate change could cause pollen counts to double in the next 30 years. The warming temperatures cause advancing weed growth, a bane for allergy sufferers." The Facts Pollen is a product and mechanism of plant reproduction and growth. As such, pollen counts will rise and fall along with plant health and vegetation intensity. Any increase in pollen will be the result of a greener biosphere with more plant growth. Similar to the alarmist argument, discussed above, that expanding forests will create more habitat for the ticks that spread Lyme Disease, alarmists here are taking overwhelmingly good news about global warming improving plant health and making it seem like this good news is actually bad news because healthier plants mean more pollen. Indeed, NASA satellite instruments have documented a spectacular greening of the Earth, with foliage gains most prevalent in previously arid, semi-desert regions. For people experiencing an increase in vegetation in previously barren regions, this greening of the Earth is welcome and wonderful news. For global warming alarmists, however, a greener biosphere is terrible news and something to be opposed. This, in a nutshell, defines the opposing sides in the global warming debate. Global warming alarmists claim a greener biosphere with richer and more abundant plant lifo 1Q hrtrriblo ancl iiictifipc QC7ta Pi^(11-1 fITYIN7-1-1PCtrIlATI 11 Cr PTIPMFIT Cookie Preferences Get unlimited acce$ Alarmist Assertion #6 "Beetles Destroy Iconic Western Forests — Climate change has sent tree- killing beetles called mountain pine beetles into overdrive. Under normal conditions those beetles reproduce just once annually, but the warming climate has allowed them to churn out an extra generation of new bugs each year. The Facts Alarmists claim warmer winters are causing an increase in pine beetle populations. This assertion is thoroughly debunked by objective, real-world data. As an initial matter, alarmists have responded to recent bitterly cold winters by claiming global warming is causing colder winters. One cannot claim global warming is causing colder winters and then turn around and simultaneously claim global warming is causing warmer winters. Global warming activists propensity for doing so shows just how little value they place in a truthful debate. Objective scientific data verify winters are getting colder, which counters the key prerequisite to EDF's pine beetle claim. NOAA temperature data show winter temperatures in the United States have been getting colder for at least the past two decades. Pine beetles cannot be taking advantage of warmer winters if winters are in fact getting colder. Moreover, recent U.S. Forest Service data show pine beetle infestations have recently declined dramatically throughout the western United States. Forests and plant life are expanding globally, and particularly in the western United States. Pine beetles are a natural part of forest ecosystems. Cookie Preferences iconic Western forests" when western forests are becoming denser and more prevalent as the planet warms. Also, beetles have bored through North American forests for millennia, long before people built coal-fired power plants and drove SUVs. Beetles are not dependent on warm winters, as evidenced by their historic prevalence in places such as Alaska. Finally, pine beetles tend to target dead, unhealthy, more vulnerable pine trees rather than healthy trees. Decades of over-aggressive fire suppression policies have caused an unnatural buildup of older, denser, more vulnerable pine forests. These conditions predictably aid pine beetles. Alarmist Assertion #7 "Canada: The New America — 'Lusher' vegetation growth typically associated with the United States is now becoming more common in Canada, scientists reported in a 2012 Nature Climate Change study." The Facts Only global warming alarmists would claim that lusher vegetation and more abundant plant life is a bad thing. Playing on a general tendency for people to fear change, EDF and global warming alarmists argue that changes in the biosphere that make it richer, lusher, and more conducive to life are changes to be feared and opposed. If barren ecosystems constitute an ideal planet, then the alarmist fears of more plant life make sense. On the contrary, global warming realists understand a climate more conducive to richer, more abundant plant life is beneficial rather than harmful. Alarmist Assertion #8 Cookie Preferences agricultural losses cause billions of dollars in damages, and money is needed to treat and control the spread of disease" The Facts Severe storms, floods and agricultural losses may cost a great deal of money, but such extreme weather events — and their resulting costs — are dramatically declining as the Earth modestly warms. Accordingly, EDF's asserted economic costs are actually economic benefits. As documented by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and here at Forbes.com, severe storms are becoming less frequent and severe as the Earth modestly warms. This is especially evident regarding hurricane and tornado activity, which are both at historic lows. Similarly, scientific measurements and peer-reviewed studies report no increase in flooding events regarding natural-flowing rivers and streams. Any increase in flooding activity is due to human alterations of river and stream flow rather than precipitation changes. Also, the modest recent warming is producing U.S. and global crop production records virtually every year, creating billions of dollars in new economic and human welfare benefits each and every year. This creates a net economic benefit completely ignored by EDF. Regarding "the spread of disease," as documented in "Alarmist Assertion #2," objective evidence shows global warming will thwart deadly outbreaks of influenza and other cold-dependent viruses. Additionally, the alarmists' desired means of reducing carbon dioxide emissions — more expensive energy sources — make economic conditions even worse. Forcing the American economy to operate on expensive and Get untimited acce5. Cookie Preferences skyrocket." The economic consequences of Obama's global warming policies can already be seen in electricity prices, which are currently the highest in U.S. history. Remarkably, Obama's global warming policies are increasing electricity prices even while new natural gas discoveries, revolutionary advances in natural gas production technologies, and a dramatic resultant decline in natural gas prices would otherwise spur a dramatic decline in electricity prices. Alarmist Assertion #9 "Infectious Diseases Thrive — The World Health Organization reports that outbreaks of new or resurgent diseases are on the rise and in more disparate countries than ever before, including tropical illnesses in once cold climates." The Facts Outbreaks of "new or resurgent diseases" are occurring precisely because governments have caved in to environmental activist groups like EDF and implemented their anti-science agendas. For example, DDT had all but eliminated malaria in the United States and on the global stage during the mid-20th century. However, environmental activists championed false environmental accusations against DDT and dramatically reduced use of the life-saving mosquito killer throughout much of the world. As a result, malaria has reemerged with a vengeance and millions of people die every year as a result. Also, as documented above in "Alarmist Assertion #2," global warming will reduce the impact and death toll of cold-related viruses such as influenza. In the United States alone, influenza kills 36,000 people every year, which rliArarfQ n11 11AAt -CIPTIPTICIPTIt virlicPc and dicpricpc mFiruI FOIAT 11PC111,1P flt/IPP Get unlimited accei Cookie Preferences from Lyme Disease (which, as documented above, isn't even related to global warming). Alarmist Assertion #10 "Shrinking Glaciers — In 2013, an iceberg larger than the city of Chicago broke off the Pine Island Glacier, the most important glacier of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. And at Montana's Glacier National Park glaciers have gone from 150 to just 35 over the past century." The Facts Calling attention to anecdotal incidents of icebergs breaking off the Antarctic ice sheet, while deliberately ignoring the overall growth of the Antarctic ice sheet, is a misleading and favorite tactic of global warming alarmists. Icebergs break off the Antarctic ice sheet every year, with or without global warming, particularly in the Antarctic summer. However, a particular iceberg — no matter how large — breaking off the Antarctic ice sheet does not necessarily result in "Shrinking Glaciers" as EDF alleges. To the contrary, the Antarctic Ice Sheet has been growing at a steady and substantial pace ever since NASA satellites first began measuring the Antarctic ice sheet in 1979. Indeed, during the same year that the EDF claims "an iceberg larger than the city of Chicago" broke off the Antarctic ice sheet and caused "Shrinking Glaciers," the Antarctic ice sheet repeatedly set new records for its largest extent in recorded history. Those 2013 records were repeatedly broken again in 2014. The Antarctic ice sheet in 2013 and 2014 was more extensive than any time in recorded history, and yet the EDF pushes the lie that the Antarctic Ice Sheet is shrinking. The EDF's assertion about Glacier National Park is also misleading. Alpine alariPre 1- (.lripr Nntinnnl Park anel akoxitilitarta havp bppri rpoPrlina fnr rrupr Cookie Preferences plants and driving SUVs. Moreover, opening up more of the Earth's surface to vegetation and plant and animal life would normally be considered a beneficial change, if global warming alarmists had not so thoroughly politicized the global warming discussion. *************** There you have it. These are the 10 best arguments global warming activists like EDF can make, along with the objective scientific facts that prove them wrong. No wonder global warming alarmists are so terrified of people having access to both sides of the debate. i k t James Taylor I am president of the Spark of Freedom Foundation. I write about energy and environment issues, frequently focusing on global warming. I have presented environmental... Read More Reprints & Permissions ADVERTISEMENT Cookie Preferences Hector Gomez All Receive - Agenda Item # g For the information of the: CITY COUNCIL Date iNiCA ..\°. CC, CM V ACM X"DCM (3)Y__ From: Jane Mygatt <jane.mygatt@gmail.com> Sent: Monday, September 20, 2021 11:57 AM To: City Clerk Subject: City Council Agenda Item No. 8 Dear Council and Mayor: I ask that the City of Carlsbad adopt the proposed resolution to approve the Declaration of a Climate Emergency. Former council Member Con Schumacher provided a template of a Declaration of Climate Emergency during the City Council meeting in March, 2021. City staff reviewed it and now provide a revised draft resolution for consideration by the City Council for adoption. We have a climate change emergency. Climate change affects our communities worldwide, and in California, we are seeing the impacts through excessive heat and drought and unprecedented wildfires. In North County San Diego, we also are seeing more severe storms producing king tides that are devastating our coastlines and communities. Carlsbad can take an important first step by declaring a climate change emergency. Declaring a climate emergency would emphasize the city's commitment to combat climate change and to mitigate its effects in Carlsbad as much as can be done. While the declaration would be symbolic at this point, it provides a clear statement of the city's commitment to addressing climate change that could be useful to the city in working with outside agencies, obtaining outside funds and developing possible new programs as needed, and as city resources allow. Sincerely, Jane Mygatt Carlsbad, CA CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Hector Gomez From: Bob Wilcox <rswilcox@gmail.com> Sent: Monday, September 20, 2021 11:17 AM To: City Clerk Subject: Support for Agenda Item #8: Climate Emergency City Council Members, I strongly urge you to support the declaration of a climate emergency. With droughts and wildfires becoming more intense every year, we would have to be willfully ignorant not to see the accelerating effects of climate change happening in our own backyards. Things will only get worse as we continue to delay action. We as a community need to be doing much more to address the root causes of these problems, which are primarily emissions from fossil fuels. Inflicting suffering on future generations to prop up the status quo is not acceptable. Please support this declaration of a climate emergency, and follow it up with concrete actions to address the problem. There is no more time to lose. Thank you, Bob Wilcox CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Hector Gomez From: Brenda Garcia-Millan <brenda@climateactioncampaign.org > Sent: Monday, September 20, 2021 2:26 PM To: City Clerk Subject: 8. DECLARATION OF A CLIMATE EMERGENCY Hello, My name is Brenda Garcia Milian and I am a Research and Policy Analyst with Climate Action Campaign. The climate emergency threatens people all around the world, from small towns in developing countries to large metropolitan areas in more affluent regions. Here in San Diego County, climate change impacts include extreme heat, deadly wildfires, rising sea levels, and drought. This is why I would like to express my support of a Climate Emergency Declaration in the City of Carlsbad. Addressing the climate emergency now, is the only way we can rapidly decrease our carbon emissions and provide a better future for our community. Thank you, Brenda Garcia Milian (she/her) Research and Policy Analyst Climate Action Campaign 3900 Cleveland Ave, Suite 208 San Diego, CA 92103 (619) 551-4529 Ext. #710 www.climateactioncampaign.orq Twitter: asdclimateaction Instagram: a.sdclinnateaction Facebook.com/ClimateActidnCampaiqn Like what we do? Support Climate Action Campaian today. Our Mission is Simple: Stop the Climate Crisis CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Hector Gomez From: natalie shapiro <bloomingtrillium@yahoo.com> Sent: Monday, September 20, 2021 10:59 AM To: City Clerk Subject: City Council agenda item #8 Please share this with City Council members and Mayor Hall. Thankyou! Dear Council and Mayor Hall, On the September 21, 2021 Carlsbad City Council agenda is an item important to the future of Carlsbad, California's forests, and our quality of life. This item is a proposed resolution to approve the Declaration of a Climate Emergency. Former council Member Cori Schumacher provided a template of this Declaration of Climate Emergency during an earlier City Council meeting. City staff has reviewed it and has recommended that City Council approves this Declaration. The excessive and unprecedented heat, drought, and fires in California and our Nation mandates action. Our beloved and iconic coastlines are disappearing due to larger king tides; our homes on the coast will not withstand these tides in the near future. Please declare a climate change emergency on behalf of Carlsbad. This would show our city's pledge to combat climate change and to take action as needed on important steps to mitigate the impacts of this catastrophe. Thanks, Natalie Shapiro Carlsbad City resident for 10 years CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe 1 Tammy Cloud-McMinn From: Sent: To: Subject: Council and Staff, Teri Jacobs <tjacobs86@pacbell.net> Tuesday, September 21, 2021 2:00 PM City Clerk 9/21 Agenda Item #8 If you were all seriously concerned about our climate and or environment you would be up in Sacramento screaming at the top of your lungs rather than looking at ways to add an additional 3,900 + dwellings here in Carlsbad. We cannot keep adding additional homes and at the same time protect our natural resources. Do not pass this until we as a city can discuss. Regards, Teri Jacobs Sent from my iPad CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Tammy Cloud-McMinn From: Sent: To: Subject: Vanessa Forsythe <vforsythe13@gmail.com> Tuesday, September 21, 2021 2:12 PM City Clerk . For Public Record Support of Items 7 and 8 on 9/21/21 Meeting Agenda Please share with Mayor and City Council members I am writing asking the City Council to support Item 7 A as part of the Sustainable Materials Management Plan and to direct staff to develop a single-use plastics ordinance. Staff can follow the ordinances passed by Vista and Encinitas communities for a "Skip the Stuff" ordinance (limiting distribution of utensils, straws and stirrers) to begin at the start of the year. Education and engagement of stakeholders including the school district, business and public should start straight away. Also ask for support Agenda Item 8r and approval of the Climate Emergency Resolution as presented by the staff and it to be a document that directs all efforts of the city. This signed document should be with the public, state elected representatives and the governor .. Thank you for your consideration, Vanessa Forsythe 2177 Vista La Nisa, Carlsbad, CA 92009 "Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life ... " Melody Beattie CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless ou recognize the sender and know the content i safe.