Baltimore City Council Adopts Resolution Upholding Paris Climate Agreement

The Baltimore City Council adopted a resolution at their June 19th meeting committing Baltimore to uphold the Paris Climate Agreement. A youth-led rally in support of the resolution took place inside City Hall before the vote.

BALTIMORE — On June 19th, Baltimore youth, residents, local elected officials, and environmental advocates rallied inside City Hall in a strong showing of support for city-level climate action. Baltimore City Councilman Zeke Cohen introduced a resolution at the City Council meeting later that evening committing Baltimore to uphold the Paris Climate Agreement.

The rally featured several local leaders, including students with the advocacy group Baltimore Beyond Plastic, Councilman Zeke Cohen, and members of the Baltimore Peoples Climate Movement, who spoke in support of the resolution. The resolution was co-sponsored by fourteen members of the City Council and was adopted immediately during Monday night’s meeting.

Claire Wayner, co-founder of Baltimore Beyond Plastic, said, “plastic pollution has a direct linkage to climate change from its manufacturing out of fossil fuels to its all-too-common disposal through trash incineration, which contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. Our organization is committed to transmitting the youth voice to support positive climate action in Baltimore to indirectly reduce our reliance on plastics, and we hope our city will join the nationwide movement to stand behind the Paris Climate Agreement.”

“We applaud the efforts of the Baltimore City Council to address climate change, the greatest threat to our health and safety,” said Tamara Toles O’Laughlin, Executive Director of the Maryland Environmental Health Network. “Climate change can lead to dangerous health conditions and preventable deaths for the most vulnerable Marylanders. Baltimoreans already experience extended allergy seasons, heat stress, heart disease, asthma and other lung diseases, as well as increases in the spread of vector borne illnesses like Lyme disease and the threat of the Zika virus. We can not afford to ignore short-sighted rollbacks or play partisan politics at the expense of health outcomes.”

Cortez Elliott, a member of the Baltimore Peoples Climate Movement, said, “Glad to see Baltimore City moving ahead in the right direction towards a just, clean energy economy. This resolution is the first stepping stone to ensure the city is setting the standard for inclusiveness, equity, and energy efficiency by addressing the environmental injustices that disproportionately impact low-income people and communities of color in Baltimore. The resolution highlights the importance of making the world a better place for future generations by taking strong action to fight climate change.”

Background Information:

The United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement on June 1 sparked action from concerned citizens outraged by the implications for future Baltimoreans. Baltimore youth, Councilman Cohen, environmental health advocates, and a coalition of groups that make up the Baltimore Peoples Climate Movement, united to reject this reckless decision and abdication of leadership. In the absence of federal action, cities like Baltimore must step up.

Councilman Zeke Cohen, the Maryland Environmental Health Network, and over fifteen partners collaborated on the resolution. The aims of the resolution are to recognize the significance of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, oppose the U.S.’s withdrawal from it, and commit Baltimore City to specific practices that will work to prevent the worst impacts of climate change. The resolution pledges to uphold practices that foster “a liveable, economical, equitable, and just energy future for all Baltimoreans regardless of age, race, income, or zip code.” The resolution can be viewed here.

More information can be found on Facebook at Baltimore Beyond Plastic, Baltimore Peoples Climate Movement , and by searching the hashtags #BmoreClimateJust and #WeAreStillIn.

CONTACT:

Allison Rich, Maryland Environmental Health Network: arich@mdehn.org; (786) 897-6689

Rebecca Mark, Maryland Working Families; rmark@workingfamilies.org; (347) 224-1860

Taylor Smith-Hams, CCAN: taylor@chesapeakeclimate.org; (650) 704-3208

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Packed Room at Baltimore Kickoff for Statewide Climate Hearings

Cheryl Arney held up a picture of her granddaughter in a crowded room in the Patterson Park Library in Baltimore City. As she held up the photo of a young smiling girl she stated, “I am here because of her — this is her century and we must protect the Earth for her.” Cheryl was one of 21 people who testified in front of the Maryland Climate Commission.
The Maryland Climate Commission — a stakeholder group of government, industry, and nonprofits including Chesapeake Climate Action Network — are working to get public input on Maryland’s Climate Action Plan.
The Baltimore City meeting which took place on Tuesday, July 14th  was the first in a series of public forums to be held on climate change. More than twenty activists and concerned citizens said they want to see more aggressive action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase usage of clean, efficient energy in Maryland.
On November 15th, the commission will release a report to the General Assembly with recommendations about next steps for climate action in Maryland, and the purpose of these listening sessions is to help inform that report.
CCAN and our allies have been encouraging activists to attend these sessions, and this kickoff event was a great success! Leaders from the faith community, environmental groups, labor organizations, low-income advocates, and several concerned citizens packed the room and delivered a clear message to the commission. They said they want the state to stay on course to achieve the science-based carbon cuts required by the Maryland Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act of 2009. That law needs to be renewed in 2016 by the General Assembly. Many of those present said lawmakers should not only renew but also strengthen the landmark law.
Several activists also referred to the state’s clean electricity standard (the Renewable Portfolio Standard or RPS), saying it should be increased to at least a 25% by 2020 standard. With the RPS too, many activists urged the commission to consider going even beyond 25% by 2020. Many activists also addressed the importance of statewide energy efficiency measures, again encouraging decision makers to strengthen existing goals.
There are several other Commission hearings planned across the state:

  • Frostburg – UMCES Appalachian Laboratory – 7/28, 6pm
  • Avenue – All Saints Episcopal Parish Hall – 8/4, 6pm
  • Largo – PG County Department of Environment Resources – 8/6, 6pm

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to raise your voice and hold our state accountable to strong climate action at the next listening session!