Date : Fri, 9 Jun 2017 15:42:17 -0400
Climate Change Resolutions Pass Assembly
The Assembly voted to pass the following resolutions regarding New Jersey’s participation in climate efforts worldwide and within the country:
Condemns Removal from Paris Accord AR263 (Kennedy) condemns President Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. from Paris Climate Accord. The accord, or Paris Agreement is a landmark international agreement reached in 2015 between 195 countries aimed at reducing carbon emissions, slowing rising global temperatures, and helping countries deal with the effects of climate change. The resolution passed by a vote of 52-16-6.
“The New Jersey Assembly just sent a clear message to Donald Trump about his reckless actions pulling out of the Paris Accords. We must take the lead on fighting climate change ourselves. Pulling the US out of the Paris Accord was irresponsible and dangerous and states are fighting back. We support New Jersey joining the U.S. Climate Alliance and working with other states to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. We must tell the Trump Administration that no matter what they do, we will fight back against the threat of climate change!” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “We need to work on legislation that requires New Jersey to participate in these alliances and agreements to reduce climate change.
At the end of May, Donald Trump announced that he will be pulling the United States out of the Paris Agreement. The agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) deals with greenhouse gas emissions mitigation, adaptation and finance starting in the year 2020. 190 countries signed on originally. The Paris Agreement was considered a major environmental success after being signed by both the Obama Administration as well as the leadership in China. During his campaign, Donald Trump promised to remove the U.S. from the accord.
“Taking the United States out of the Paris Agreement is going to have long-term, damaging consequences to New Jersey, the US, and the planet. The United States is abdicating its role nationally as a leader in world affairs. Trump is siding with Big Oil for short-term gain and a long-term sell-out for the environment and public health. Future generations will suffer the consequences of this deliberate and irresponsible decision. We must stand up to Trump’s blatant anti-environmental policy and demand that the US stay in the Paris Agreement, fight climate change, and protect our natural resources and communities,” said Jeff Tittel.
Urges NJ to Join US Climate Alliance AR264 (Zwicker) Urges NJ Governor to join U.S. Climate Alliance. The Alliance is a bipartisan group of states in the United States that are committed to upholding the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change within their borders. There 13 current members of the alliance including New York, California, and Puerto Rico. New Jersey suffers from sea level rise and climate impacts more than most states. Another Sandy event is seventeen times more likely to happen again. Places like the Meadowlands, Hoboken, and the Barrier Islands are already going under water. The resolution passed by a vote of 51-17-6.
“The Legislature is calling on Governor Christie to stand up for the people of New Jersey and do something about climate change. He actions as Governor have left us weakened to the effects of climate change such as sea level rise and storm events. The people of New Jersey that have been devastated by the recent storms and flooding. Continuing to ignore climate change is outrageous, dangerous, and puts people at risk. We need to act as a state to fight climate change and we can do so by joining the U.S. Climate Alliance. We must work to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gasses and make New Jersey a leader in green energy once again!” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club.
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Jamie Zaccaria Administrative Assistant New Jersey Sierra Club office: (609) 656-7612 https://www.facebook.com/NJSierraClub * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Received on 2017-06-09 12:42:17