Special Town Meeting to Vote on Climate Emergency

A Resolution Concerning Declaration of Climate and Ecological Emergency

Whereas, Needham Town Meeting recognizes that we are in a Climate and Ecological Emergency that threatens our town, state, nation and all of humanity;

And Whereas, Needham Town Meeting believes that a mobilization to meet this challenge is imperative to stabilize the climate, remedy environmental harms which disproportionately hurt environmental justice communities, create clean-energy jobs, and improve human lives;

And Whereas, in recent years, the Town of Needham has demonstrated a commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and protecting our environment by: constructing LEED Certified buildings such as the Sunita Williams Elementary School and the Needham Free Library, including EV charging stations at Sunita Williams and at Needham Public Works, implementing large solar installations at the Town Recycling and Transfer Station, passing the Stretch Building Code and becoming a Green Community, committing to pesticide and herbicide-free maintenance of town trees and parks, and currently preparing a town-wide Climate Action Plan to further lower the town’s carbon footprint.

And Whereas, Town Meeting recommends that Needham join over 2,000 governments globally that have declared a climate emergency, an emergency primarily driven by human activities, most significantly the burning of fossil fuels and the destruction of forests and other carbon sinks, resulting in rising global temperatures and loss of biodiversity.

And Whereas, a warming planet poses serious risks to human health, and safety and economic security, as evidenced by recent extreme weather events including droughts, forest fires, and floods, rising sea levels, ocean acidification, soil erosion, and mass species extinctions around the globe. Massachusetts is already experiencing flooding from storms and rising sea levels, droughts, increased transmission of tick-borne illnesses, record- breaking heat waves, and loss of biodiversity, such as bird and pollinator populations.

Be It Resolved, that this day, in recognition of the urgent need to mobilize, Needham’s Town Meeting goes on record as recommending that the Town of Needham, acting through the Select Board, declare a Climate and Ecological Emergency. Once declared, Town Meeting recommends that the Select Board consider taking further action including:

● Communicating to all town departments, businesses, and residents the critical need to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions as soon as is fiscally and technologically possible;

● Developing policies that protect Needham’s trees, forests, and open spaces because they draw carbon from the atmosphere, and provide life-sustaining food and shelter to other species;

● Prioritizing projects that reduce the town’s greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss;

● Ensuring that the town pursues an equitable and just transition to a zero-greenhouse gas future.

Town Meeting calls on state and federal elected officials to initiate a Climate Emergency mobilization and provide appropriate legislative, regulatory, and financial support to municipalities to implement local climate emergency initiatives. Town Meeting requests that the Town Clerk send notice of this resolution to the Office of the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and Needham’s state and federal legislators.