The first meeting of Portland's Climate, Resilience, and Land Use Committee highlighted the city's challenges in tackling the climate crisis. Councilor Steve Novick emphasized that despite Portland's limited impact on global climate issues, local actions remain vital. While the city has made some progress in reducing carbon emissions over 35 years, it is currently lagging behind its climate goals. The urgency of addressing climate change is heightened by the rollback of federal protections. Committee members are tasked with ensuring all community voices are included in climate policy, hinting at potential internal conflicts on representation priorities.
The climate crisis presents unique challenges for local policymakers, trying to make a dent in a global emergency from their desks in Portland.
Councilor Steve Novick, one of the committee's co-chairs, kicked off the committee's first meeting with a candid speech about the scale of climate change, which he called the 'greatest crisis humanity has ever faced.'
While Portland can't fix the global problem by itself, councilors hope the new climate committee can push the city to lower emissions, making good on pledges and plans it has already committed to.
'If we do not do our part in trying to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions then, in my view, we will be complicit in the misery, destruction, and death of millions upon millions of our fellow human beings for hundreds of years to come.'
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