Climate emergency advances close to implementation in Chicago

Chicago alderman urges for the joint steps to be taken at state, national, and federal governmental levels. A resolution is going to be sent to the full City Council by the Committee on Environmental Protection & Energy. The climate emergency will be implemented in Chicago after the successful passage of the resolution.

Alderman George Cardenas is the chairman of the committee. He said, “We know with our own eyes that something is very abnormal.” Cardenas brought the attention of the media towards the rising sea level and its threatening impacts on cities like Bangkok, Miami, and Shanghai. He added that climate change was causing persistent flooding across the city.

Cardenas said, “We cannot continue to go the normal way – things as usual.” Alderman Matt Martin is the leading sponsor of the resolution. He said, “Really, the question is what can we do immediately?” He criticized the Trump administration and called it “a group of climate-change deniers.” The supporters of the resolution said that the resolution would set the stage for political action.

Cardenas said that they must have a plan to go as nothing could be achieved urgently. Alderman La Spata said, “If we call it a crisis, we have to treat it as a crisis.” The committee backed the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA) and said that we could not do it alone. Tom Balanoff, the president of the Service Employees International Union Local 1, said, “Fortunately, most of our members, including myself, believe in science.” He added that they needed to act now.

Martin supported the electric-buses in the cities and the plantation of more trees. The supporters of the resolution claimed that they had the support of Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Governor JB Pritzker. Martin backed the inclusion of the Department of Environment in the government of the city. There is a clear need for focusing on climate issues and finding solutions for them immediately.