HR0490 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0490 LRB100 13091 MST 27479 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Global climate change refers to the recent and ongoing rise in global average temperature near Earth's surface, caused mostly by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, resulting in changing global climate patterns; and

WHEREAS, The scientific community overwhelmingly agrees that the main cause of the current global warming trend is human expansion of greenhouse gasses, which causes warming that results when the atmosphere traps heat radiating from Earth toward space; and

WHEREAS, Effects of global climate change, each of which we are already experiencing, include: hotter than normal temperatures, drought, insect outbreaks, an increasing number of wildfires and other natural disasters, declining water supplies, reduced agricultural yields, health impacts in cities due to excessive heat, and flooding and erosion in coastal areas; and

WHEREAS, In order to mitigate the effects of global warming, in 2015, 195 nations entered into the Paris Climate Agreement, based upon the United Nation's Framework Convention on Climate Change, which, for the first time, brought all nations into a common cause to undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects; as such, the Paris Climate Agreement chartered a new course in the global climate effort; and

WHEREAS, The Paris Agreement's central aim is to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius; additionally, the agreement aims to strengthen the ability of countries to deal with the impacts of climate change; and

WHEREAS, On June 1, 2017, President Trump announced that the United States would be exiting the Paris Climate Agreement, joining Syria and Nicaragua as the only two countries not party to the Agreement; and

WHEREAS, President Trump's decision to abandon the agreement for environmental action signed by 195 nations is a remarkable rebuke to heads of state, climate activists, corporate executives, and most importantly, American citizens across the nation; the Paris Agreement was intended to bind the world community into battling rising temperatures in concert, and the departure of the Earth's second-largest polluter is a major setback; and

WHEREAS, According to a Yale University Study conducted in 2016, over 50% of Americans in each state believe in the effects of global warming, including 73% of people in the State of Illinois; according to the same study, an estimated 65% of people in Illinois support the Paris Climate Agreement; and

WHEREAS, In response to President Trump's announcement to exit the Paris Climate Agreement, nine states, including, California, New York, Massachusetts, Washington, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, Oregon, and Hawaii have joined to form the United States Climate Alliance, in order to implement the provisions of the Paris Climate Agreement; furthermore, the United States Climate Alliance is being joined at the city level by 187 mayors of major cities, including Los Angeles, Boston, New York, and Chicago; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge Governor Rauner to immediately join the nine other states in the United States Climate Alliance; and be it further

RESOLVED, That as governor of a state that supports the Paris Climate Agreement by an overwhelming majority of 65%, we request that Governor Rauner join with both Democratic and Republican governors from the aforementioned states, to stand up for the people of the State of Illinois and join the United States Climate Alliance; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the State of Illinois is urged to develop a plan for the State to achieve 100% clean energy by 2045; it should include the lowest cost measures available to meet the energy needs of the State; low income citizens should be included in the benefits derived, including quality careers adhering to local source hiring for workers displaced by fossil fuel reduction, equitable access through ownership and benefits to new opportunity for historically marginalized communities, and affordable clean energy options; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to Governor Rauner, United States Senator Richard Durbin, United States Senator Tammy Duckworth, and the entire Illinois Congressional Delegation.