City Of Boulder Declares 'Climate Emergency'

BOULDER, CO — The Boulder City Council passed a resolution Tuesday declaring a climate emergency in the face of increasing impacts of climate change. By adopting the resolution, the City of Boulder joins a global coalition of governments and leaders who officially acknowledge the existence of a global climate emergency and recognize the importance of local action to protect and enhance the well-being of current and future generations.

“Climate change has truly reached the level of being an emergency, and we need to move forward in taking action faster than ever, in a way that is broad-reaching, replicable and inclusive,” Boulder Mayor Suzanne Jones said in a statement. “Boulder has made great progress in working toward climate solutions, but this declaration will further add urgency to bringing the community together to mitigate and adapt to climate change.”

New York City became the nation's largest city to declare a climate emergency in June, joining the international movement to address climate change. More than 650 other local governments, from Hoboken to London, have adopted similar measures.

The resolution commits Boulder to climate mobilization action that immediately prioritizes efforts to safely draw down carbon from the atmosphere and accelerate adaptation and resilience strategies in preparation for intensifying climate impacts.

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The declaration comes on the heels of a renewed commitment to accelerating climate action through the city’s Climate Mobilization Action Plan, brought to council July 9. The plan will update the city’s Climate Commitment and "implement more ambitious but achievable goals consistent with or exceeding state goals and objectives," city officials said. The declaration also comes a week before the U.S. House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis holds a field hearing in Boulder.

The resolution highlights the importance of inclusive participation to reach the city’s climate goals and “commits to keeping the concerns of vulnerable communities central to all just transition and climate emergency mobilization planning processes and to inviting and encouraging such communities to actively participate in order to advocate directly for their needs,” the city said.

For more information on climate action and the city’s goals, visit bouldercolorado.gov/climate. Community members and organizations interested in engaging with the city’s new planning process should visit the Climate Mobilization Action Plan web page and learn how to get involved.