Title
Calling on Congress to pass the Build Back Better Act to provide resources to Philadelphia and cities like it to combat climate change while creating jobs and fostering local economic development.
Body
WHEREAS, Climate change poses a clear threat to the residents of Philadelphia, as well as the entire nation and world; and
WHEREAS, Continued carbon emissions from businesses, transportation and the energy sector threatens to continue warming our planet; and
WHEREAS, A recent report by the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change finds that we are running out of time to reduce carbon pollution and avoid a climate catastrophe; and
WHEREAS, Increasingly severe and frequent storms, like Hurricane Ida, pose a growing threat to Philadelphia's neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, The threat posed by climate change falls disproportionately on low-income communities and communities of color, who have fewer financial resources to rebuild after extreme weather events and who are more likely to suffer chronic health conditions, like asthma, that are exacerbated by a warming planet; and
WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia has long led the way in addressing this existential threat by increasing procurement of municipal clean energy, passing energy-benchmark legislation designed to reduce carbon emissions from large commercial properties, investing in weatherization to reduce energy costs for seniors and low-income residents, and working to mitigate the risk of flooding by pioneering the landmark "Green City Clean Water" stormwater management plan to invest in green infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, It is impossible for any one city to address such a large threat alone; and
WHEREAS, Cities like Philadelphia need to marshal the resources of the federal government to support and expand on these initiatives; and
WHEREAS, President Biden has proposed a historic $3.5 trillion Build Back Better Agenda, which would create millions of well-paying union jobs by investing...
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