Drafter
Clerk 03/08/2012
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AN ORDINANCE authorizing the King County executive to enter into an interlocal agreement with participating King County cities to formalize the King County-Cities Climate Collaboration, a partnership to work together to directly respond to climate change.
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STATEMENT OF FACTS:
1. There is consensus among the world's leading scientists, including the National Academies and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, that human sources of climate pollution such as carbon dioxide and methane are causing unprecedented and severe changes in global and local climate systems, and the related impacts are among the most significant environmental challenges facing the world.
2. Climate scientists at the University of Washington report that significant changes to the Pacific Northwest climate are causing environmental changes including decreasing mountain snowpack and increasing flooding, and are negatively impacting infrastructure, forests, salmon, human health and Puget Sound.
3. Left unaddressed, human induced changes to the climate system will severely impact economic prosperity and quality of life in King County and elsewhere.
4. King County and participating cities of King County wish to work together through the King County-Cities Climate Collaboration to directly respond to climate change and reduce global and local sources of climate pollution.
5. Projects that reduce climate pollution, such as energy efficiency improvements, can have multiple benefits to King County, King County cities and their citizens, including reducing operating costs and creating new revenue sources for local governments, improving public health, and building a green economy.
6. By working together King County and participating King County cities can increase their efficiency and effectiveness in making progress towards environmental, climate change, energy and economic development-related goals.
7. King County and participating King County citi...
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