Sustainability subcommittee replies to UN climate report

The city council’s sustainability subcommittee responds to the UN climate change report

Lisa Gardner, City Council Communications Director, 509.625.6226

Monday, August 9, 2021 at 3:21 p.m.

An announcement by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) leaves little doubt that our climate is warming and that people are responsible for it. The IPPC reported that our global temperatures are now 1.1 degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial levels, leading to more extreme weather events around the world. That became evident in Spokane this summer when we experienced record breaking heat waves and drought.

For more than two years, the City Council’s Sustainability Subcommittee (SAS) has worked on addressing the climate crisis with the aim of building local resilience by mitigating the risks of climate change and investing in Spokane-specific strategies that empower our communities. The SAS is currently seeking input from the community to support its revisions and provide guidance to the city council to move Spokane into a more sustainable future. To take the survey, visit SAP Survey.

“The data is clear. Man-made climate change is already affecting us here in the north-west of the country. The good news is that today we have the tools and the vision to take meaningful action, ”says Kara Odegard, manager of sustainability initiatives. “Thousands of votes from our community have contributed to a plan that will help keep Spokane strong in the face of future challenges. There are exciting opportunities and I have a lot of hope for our future. “

According to the IPCC report, the earth is on a collision course with the critical threshold of 1.5 degrees, and if greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced, the climate will continue to deteriorate. The SAS draft Sustainability Action Plan illustrates the goals and strategies needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The City Council President said, “The most important thing about Spokane’s Sustainability Action Plan is that it is tailored to our city’s unique strengths and needs and designed by a wide range of our community members. I hope that everyone dealing with these issues will review the plan and make comments so that we can adopt a final version in October. “

The City Council established the SAS in early 2019 to focus on issues surrounding climate change and its impact on Spokane and the region. For more information on the Sustainability Action Plan and SAS, see this Council Connection.