[San Francisco Climate Emergency Declaration]
Resolution supporting San Francisco Board of Supervisors File No. 190222 declaring a climate emergency in San Francisco which requests immediate and accelerated action to address the climate crisis and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
WHEREAS, The San Francisco Commission on the Environment seeks to improve, enhance, and preserve the environment and to promote San Francisco’s long-term environmental sustainability as set forth in Section 4.118 of the City Charter; and,
WHEREAS, The San Francisco Commission on the Environment agrees with the consensus among climate scientists that the climate crisis is happening now; and,
WHEREAS, In 2017, the San Francisco Commission on the Environment passed Resolution File No. 003-17-COE which encouraged the Mayor, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the Department of the Environment and other City departments to continue to develop bold and forward-thinking public policies that expand upon San Francisco’s climate action and environmental leadership before we are locked into a future of uncontrollable and accelerating climate change; and,
WHEREAS, Supervisor Raphael Mandelman recently introduced a Board of Supervisors resolution declaring a climate emergency in San Francisco and requesting immediate and accelerated action to address the climate crisis and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius; and,
WHEREAS, The Board of Supervisors climate emergency resolution urges the San Francisco Department of the Environment to develop, in collaboration with the Mayor’s office and all other relevant City departments, a technical report, present the findings at a hearing before the Board of Supervisors and recommend updates to the Chapter 9 of the City’s Environment Code that will advance the City’s Climate Action Strategy; and,
WHEREAS, The Board of Supervisors’ climate emergency resolution prioritizes the equitable and active engagement of environmental justice communities who have traditionally borne the brunt of environmental degradation including communities of color, low-wage workers, immigrants, and low-income communities; and,
WHEREAS, The San Francisco Department of the Environment is developing a Racial Equity Action Plan with measurable outcomes that will examine internal, administrative, and operational opportunities for advancing racial equity and ensure that all the Department’s programs, policies, and services are developed and delivered through a racial equity lens including all climate and sustainability initiatives; now, therefore, be it,
RESOLVED, That the Commission on the Environment fully supports San Francisco Board of Supervisors File No. 190222 declaring a climate emergency in San Francisco; and, be it,
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Commission on the Environment commends staff at the San Francisco Department of the Environment and from the many City departments actively engaged in implementing and promoting initiatives to address climate change as described in San Francisco’s Climate Action Strategy and communicated by the 0-80-100 Roots framework; and, be it,
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Commission on the Environment encourages the San Francisco Department of the Environment to continue working with key City partner agencies on climate mitigation planning while also advancing climate adaptation efforts to address unavoidable current and future climate change impacts to public health and the City’s infrastructure; and, be it,
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Commission on the Environment pledges to do its part to promote the sense of urgency and the ingenuity that has made the San Francisco Department of the Environment and the City and County of San Francisco a global leader in the fight against the climate crisis; and, be it,
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Commission on the Environment urges deep collaboration and partnership across City departments, the Mayor’s Office and the Board of Supervisors to address the climate emergency; and, be it,
FURTHER RESOLVED, The Commission on the Environment encourages the Department to continue working with other City agencies, cities across the Bay Area, regional agencies, state agencies, federal agencies and community stakeholders to define historically underserved communities of color and low-income communities and develop policies that take into account workers and jobs in order to ensure a just transition to a clean energy economy for all people and communities.
I hereby certify that this Resolution was adopted at the Commission on the Environment’s Meeting on March 26, 2019.
Anthony Valdez, Commission Secretary
Vote: 6-0 Approved
Ayes: Commissioners Ahn, Bermejo, Hoyos, Sullivan, Wald and Wan.
Noes: None
Absent: Commissioner Stephenson