City adopts Climate Inheritance Resolution brought forward by Nordic Nature Group

The Nordic Nature Group, a contingent of young naturalists, spoke to the Grand Marais City Council on Wednesday, February 22. 
 
Supporters of the Nordic Nature Group filled the council room. After the presentation, the Grand Marais City Council unanimously adopted the resolution offered by the group, the Climate Inheritance Resolution.
 
Rhonda Silence shares news some of their presentation.
 
The resolution reads:
Climate Inheritance Resolution
 
A Resolution expressing the commitment of the Grand Marais City Council to protect the children and grandchildren of this community from the risks of climate destruction.
 
WHEREAS, 195 countries, including the United States and every country that is a member of the United Nations, reached an agreement in Paris, France on December 12, 2015, that recognizes the risk to our children’s and grandchildren’s future from climate change;
 
WHEREAS, the greatest burden resulting from an inadequate response to the climate crisis will be carried by the youngest generation, and all who follow;
 
WHEREAS, the risks from an inadequate response are potentially devastating, and include economic and environmental disruptions many of which are already being felt such as more severe storms, longer and hotter heat waves, worsening flood and drought cycles, growing invasive species and insect problems, accelerated species extinction rates, rising sea levels, increased wildfires, a dramatic increase in refugees from climate impacted lands. These effects are felt globally but will also impact us at the local level with a changing boreal forest;
 
WHEREAS, leading climate scientists  have indicated that further delay in significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions will rapidly push humanity past the point where disastrous consequences can be avoided;
 
WHEREAS, numerous governmental and non-governmental bodies across the nation and the world have already adopted climate action plans to immediately and rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions while also stopping them entirely within 25 years;
 
WHEREAS, youth of Grand Marais have brought this Council a Youth Climate Report Card highlighting the gap between what we are doing today and actions that would be necessary to protect their future;
 
WHEREAS, youth of Grand Marais have indicated a willingness to work with this Council on such actions, we, therefore, declare it: 
 
RESOLVED, that Grand Marais City Council commits to working constructively, using ingenuity, innovation, and courageous determination to complete a Climate Action Plan for Grand Marais that significantly reduces Grand Marais’s greenhouse gas emissions to levels that would protect our community’s children and grandchildren from the risk of climate destruction;
 
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Grand Marais City Council commits to start the Grand Marais Climate Action Plan creation process with the Nordic Nature Group within 3 months, and to complete it as soon as possible;
 
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a mechanism will be created for the ongoing inclusion of young people in the process of creating and executing climate related policies and actions.
 
Signed by Mayor Jay Arrowsmith DeCoux
 
Photo courtesy of Nordic Nature Group