HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-19-0477City of Miami
Resolution R-19-0477
Legislation
City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
www.miamigov.com
File Number: 6837 Final Action Date: 11/21/2019
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION DECLARING A CLIMATE
EMERGENCY, URGING THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND THE UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT TO DECLARE A CLIMATE EMERGENCY, AND REQUESTING
REGIONAL COLLABORATION ON A TRANSITION PLAN AND EMERGENCY
MOBILIZATION EFFORT TO RESTORE A SAFE AND SUSTAINABLE
CLIMATE; FURTHER DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO SEND A COPY OF
THIS RESOLUTION TO THE OFFICIALS STATED HEREIN.
SPONSOR(S): Mayor Francis X. Suarez, Commissioner Ken Russell, Commissioner
Joe Carollo, Commissioner Manolo Reyes
WHEREAS, in April 2016, world leaders from 175 countries recognized the threat of
climate change and the urgent need to combat it by signing the Paris Agreement, agreeing to
keep the increase in global average temperature to "well below 2°C above pre -industrial levels,"
and to "pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C"; and
WHEREAS, the City of Miami ("City") has experienced the disruption and destruction
already wrought by climate change through hurricanes, flooding, and other climatic events that
is evidenced by increased and intensifying wildfires, floods, rising seas, diseases, droughts, and
extreme weather nationwide; and
WHEREAS, the ecological effects of climate change are driving an increased rate of
extinction of species, which could consequently devastate ecological stability and much of the
biological life on Earth for future generations; and
WHEREAS, the United States of America has disproportionately contributed to climate
change and the ecological crises and has repeatedly failed to lead global efforts to transition
towards a carbon -neutral economy, thus bearing a significant responsibility to solve these
crises; and
WHEREAS, reaching zero greenhouse gas emissions around the globe will require a
drawdown or removal of all the excess carbon from the atmosphere and implementation of
measures to protect all people and other biological species, requiring a coordinated emergency
mobilization on a scale not seen since World War II; and
WHEREAS, the City has led efforts on climate mitigation and adaptation through the
overwhelming passage of the Miami Forever Bond; and
WHEREAS, the City is committed to pursuing policies and programs that are
ecologically sustainable, equitable, and just for all; and
WHEREAS, the City wishes to act as a global leader by both converting to an
ecologically, socially, and economically regenerative economy at emergency speed and by
catalyzing a unified and coordinated climate emergency mobilization effort; and
City of Miami Page 1 of 2 File ID: 6837 (Revision: A) Printed On: 4/28/2025
File ID: 6837 Enactment Number: R-19-0477
WHEREAS, the City commits to Citywide climate emergency mobilization efforts to
reverse climate change, aiming, with appropriate financial and regulatory assistance from
Miami -Dade County, the State of Florida, and Federal authorities, to end Citywide greenhouse
gas emissions as quickly as possible to safely drawdown carbon from the atmosphere and
accelerate adaptation and resilience strategies in preparation for intensifying climate impacts;
and
WHEREAS, the City further commits to educating its residents about the climate
emergency and working to catalyze climate emergency mobilization efforts on local, state,
national, and global levels to provide maximum protection for its residents; and
WHEREAS, the City understands the need for full community participation, inclusion,
and support and recognizes that City residents and community organizations that include faith,
youth, labor, academic institutions, homeowners' associations, and a diverse range of civil
society institutions will be integral to the leadership of the mobilization effort; and
WHEREAS, the City further commits to keeping the concerns of vulnerable communities
central to climate emergency mobilization efforts and inviting and encouraging such
communities to actively participate in order to advocate directly for their needs;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI, FLORIDA:
Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Resolution are
adopted by reference and incorporated as if fully set forth in this Section.
Section 2. The City Commission hereby declares a climate emergency, urges the State
of Florida and the United States government to declare a climate emergency, and requests
regional collaboration on an immediate emergency mobilization effort to restore a safe climate.
Section 3. The City Clerk is directed to send a copy of this Resolution to the Speaker of
the United States House of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the United States Senate,
each Florida Senator and Representative in the United States Congress, the Mayor and
members of the Commission of Miami -Dade County, all municipalities within Miami -Dade
County, and all members of the Miami -Dade County Legislative Delegation.
Section 4. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption and
signature of the Mayor.'
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS:
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11/12/2019
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1 If the Mayor does not sign this Resolution, it shall become effective at the end of ten (10) calendar days
from the date it was passed and adopted. If the Mayor vetoes this Resolution, it shall become effective
immediately upon override of the veto by the City Commission.
City of Miami
Page 2 of 2 File ID: 6837 (Revision: A) Printed on: 4/28/2025