Resolution recognizing the dangers of climate change to human health and the environment and endorsing the People's Climate March NYC scheduled to precede the United Nations Summit on Climate Change that will take place on September 23, 2014, in New York City, which is "aimed at catalyzing action by governments, business, finance, industry, and civil society in areas for new commitments and substantial, scalable and replicable contributions to the Summit that will help the world shift toward a low-carbon economy."

By Council Members Richards, Chin, Constantinides, Johnson, Koo, Levine, Mendez, Reynoso, Torres, Rodriguez, Rosenthal, Lander, Espinal, Levin, Menchaca, Lancman, Cohen and Garodnick

Whereas, The decade from 2001 to 2010 was the warmest on record, and the years 2005 and 2010 are tied for the hottest years on record; and

Whereas, The Environmental Protection Agency determined that current and future greenhouse gas concentrations endanger public health, and, according to the Global Humanitarian Forum, climate change already seriously affects 325 million people, and is responsible for 300,000 deaths and $125 billion in economic losses worldwide each year; and

Whereas, Extreme weather events, most notably heat waves and precipitation extremes, are occurring with increased frequency, with deadly consequences for people and wildlife; and

Whereas, In the United States in 2011 alone, 14 weather and climate disasters occurred, including droughts, heat waves, and floods; and

Whereas, Climate change is affecting food security by negatively impacting the growth and yields of important crops, and droughts, floods, and changes in snowpack are altering water supplies; and

Whereas, Arctic summer sea ice extent has decreased by nearly 50 percent in the past several decades, with an accompanying drastic reduction in sea ice thickness and volume, which is severely jeopardizing ice-dependent animals; and

Whereas, Scientists have concluded that by the year 2100 as many as one in ten species may be on the verge of extinction due to climate change; and

Whereas, The world's land-based ice is rapidly melting, threatening water supplies in many regions and raising sea levels; and

Whereas, Sea level is rising along the East Coast of the United States faster than it has risen for the last 2,000 years, is accelerating in pace, and could rise by one to two meters this century, threatening millions of Americans with severe flooding; and

Whereas, In September, world leaders will be coming to New York City for a United Nations summit on climate change; and

Whereas, Related to this summit, there will be a People's Climate March to demand that the world respond to the climate change crises and develop an economy that works for both people and the environment to make a world with good jobs, clean air, and healthy communities for everyone; and

Whereas, This march is an opportunity to create the largest-ever demonstration to demand action on climate change; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York recognizes the dangers of climate change to human health and the environment and endorsing the People's Climate March NYC scheduled to precede the United Nations Summit on Climate Change that will take place on September 23, 2014, in New York City, which is "aimed at catalyzing action by governments, business, finance, industry, and civil society in areas for new commitments and substantial, scalable and replicable contributions to the Summit that will help the world shift toward a low-carbon economy."

DAA

LS 1994/2014