Climate change threatens our health, prosperity, and well-being, including in Acton. To avoid the worst climate impacts, we need an urgent and massive effort to arrest and reverse global warming, and to build resilience for a changed future.
Declaring a Climate Emergency was a critical first step. The Acton Town Meeting on September 8, 2020 joined more than 1,750 other governments, representing more than 800 million people around the world, in declaring a Climate Emergency.
Photo credit: NASA (Earth’s atmosphere from space)
On Sept. 8, 2020 Acton held a Special Town Meeting and nearly unanimously voted for the Climate Emergency Declaration. The video of this portion of Town Meeting is on YouTube here. Thanks to everyone who came out to vote for this Declaration, and to the many Coalition Members who worked hard to achieve this important goal! See local press coverage (a Q&A) following the Special Town Meeting here (pdf version here).
In June of 2021, we were successful in encouraging the Town Meeting to pass two warrant articles, that will advance the Town’s ability to require clean, non-fossil-fuel energy in new buildings and major rehabilitation projects.
Prologue
In our community, nation, and world we are navigating profound repercussions from multiple crises: a viral pandemic and its economic impacts; a reckoning with our nation’s racist history and present; and our Climate Emergency. All are intertwined; all rest on failures to act with resolute and moral urgency.
In facing these monumental inequities and threats, we must recommit ourselves to the vigilance, compassionate care, and imperative action their solutions demand. Those solutions offer the promise of a vastly safer, more just, and sustainable world.
The Declaration
Language approved by Town Meeting on September 8, 2020
Also available as a PDF
Declaring a Climate Emergency:
A Better Future Starting Now
Whereas, in a world facing extreme challenges, including rapid climate change, Acton residents understand the importance of protecting the Earth and its inhabitants, can envision a better, sustainable future, and can create and execute bold plans for a prosperous economy and a thriving community;
Whereas, progress toward this future is underway in Massachusetts, which is among national leaders on climate initiatives (for example, there are 117,000 jobs in the state’s clean energy sector; Massachusetts has been named the most energy efficient state for the past nine years; and as a founding member of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the Commonwealth has steadily increased the proportion of renewables in our electricity supply);
Whereas, Acton has an engaged Town government, and has undertaken a number of important steps on climate and the environment, the Town is well placed to implement the critical transition away from fossil fuels, and to advance a robust, carbon-free, equitable economy, and the improved health and quality of life that will result;
Whereas, the use of fossil fuels — such as oil, coal, and natural gas — is causing unprecedented increases in greenhouse gases in our atmosphere and ensuing climate change impacts;
Whereas, the Fourth National Climate Assessment, released in 2018 by the federal government, calls out the cascading risks of climate change, including disruptions to food, water supply, transportation, public health, and national security, as well as major risks to economies and ecosystems;
Whereas, in October 2018 the United Nations released a special report that: projected that limiting warming to 1.5°C (2.7°F) above pre-industrial levels will require deep emissions reductions and rapid, unprecedented transitions in all aspects of society; found that there are clear benefits to keeping warming to 1.5°C rather than 2°C (3.6°F) or higher; and asserted that “Every bit of warming matters. Every year matters and every choice matters”;
Whereas, restoring a safe and stable climate requires a Climate Mobilization — an emergency initiative on a scale not seen since World War II, with resolute leadership and coordination necessary at all levels of government and in all sectors of society — in order to: (1) reach net zero carbon emissions across all sectors of the economy; (2) rapidly and safely remove excess carbon from the atmosphere, at emergency speed, to levels that restore safe, pre-industrial climate conditions and (3) implement measures to protect all people and species, and ecosystem integrity, from the consequences of climate breakdown;
Whereas, many localities, organizations, and countries have adopted a goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2030, there is now worldwide momentum behind developing and deploying the technical, economic, and political means to achieve this goal;
Be It Therefore Resolved, that the residents of the Town of Acton hereby declare that a Climate Emergency threatens our town, state, and nation, as well as humanity broadly, and that a mobilization to meet this challenge is both an imperative and an unprecedented opportunity to stabilize the climate, remedy environmental harms, create clean-energy jobs, and improve human lives.
Be It Further Resolved, that the members of Acton Town Meeting call on Town government and staff, and all Acton civic groups, businesses, and residents to commit to a climate mobilization effort, with appropriate support from the state and federal governments, to bring net Town-wide carbon emissions to zero as quickly as possible, with a target date of 2030.
Be It Further Resolved, that the Town of Acton’s climate mobilization should also: (1) accelerate adaptation and resilience strategies in preparation for intensifying local and global climate impacts; (2) protect trees, forests, and other open spaces because of their ability to draw carbon out of the atmosphere and store it; and (3) ensure that the costs of such mobilization efforts do not unfairly burden those who are economically or socially disadvantaged, and that the benefits of a realized, sustainable future accrue to all.
Be it Further Resolved, that the Town of Acton calls on state and federal elected officials to initiate a Climate Emergency mobilization, and provide appropriate legislative, regulatory, and financial support to municipalities to implement local Climate Emergency initiatives.
About Us
The Acton Climate Coalition began work in late 2019 with the goal of passing a resolution, at an Acton Town Meeting, declaring a Climate Emergency. Our work on the climate mobilization has just begun: here are all of our current projects. If you have questions or ideas, or if your organization would like to consider joining the coalition, please contact us. We’d love to hear from you!
If you want to help by reducing your own carbon emissions, here are a few sources of information to consider for 5 key mobilization actions:
Information sources for selected mobilization actions in the energy area:
- Renewable electricity: Opt up to Acton Power Choice (APC) GREEN for your electricity (see APC background from Green Acton)
- Electric cars (EVs): Green Energy Consumers Alliance: Drive Green
- Home insulation and weatherization: Mass Save/MyEnergy Virtual Home Energy Assessments and Mass Save Energy Rebates
- Heat pumps for home heating and cooling: Massachusetts Clean Energy Center
- Rooftop solar: EnergySage and Massachusetts DOER
- Others: Massachusetts Clean Energy Center — Make the switch to clean energy, save money, and reduce your home’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Members
Member organizations of the Acton Climate Coalition have agreed to endorse the Climate Emergency Declaration.
Action Alerts:
If you would like to hear from the Coalition about our future campaigns, use our contact form just below. To stay informed of where your voice is needed at the state and federal level, we recommend that you also sign up with one or all of the following state or local climate organizations:
Sunrise Movement Boston Hub (for youth & supporters)
Elders Climate Action Massachusetts Chapter
Contact Us
News
Sept. 8, 2020
On Sept. 8, 2020 Acton held a Special Town Meeting and nearly unanimously voted for the Climate Emergency Declaration. Check out the video of the commentary and the vote on “Declaring a Climate Emergency: A Better Future Starting Now,” below, and note the passionate and overwhelming support, including the visuals of all those orange cards signaling YES on Article 5!
Thanks to everyone who came out to vote for this Declaration, and to the many Coalition Members who worked hard to achieve this important goal! See local press coverage (a Q&A) following the Special Town Meeting here (pdf version here).
Aug 13, 2020
Vivian Kobusingye Birchall, creator of the “Wide Field” series on Acton TV, interviewed Acton Climate Coalition members Sargam Nohria (Sunrise Acton) and Jim Snyder-Grant (Green Acton).
July 2, 2020
There will be a Fall Special Town Meeting on September 8, 2020, so the Coalition has agreed to gather sufficient signatures to get the resolution on the warrant for that meeting, and to work together for a strong vote in favor of our resolution declaring a Climate Emergency at that meeting.
Webinars
Online webinars were conducted by the Acton Climate Coalition during the summer of 2020 to provide information about the compelling climate science and why a Climate Emergency Declaration is important, and to invite questions from participants.
• Recording of the webinar you can watch any time (roughly 30 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXPwtmTKvjg
You may also review the questions and answers (FAQ) that were prepared in connection with the Declaration.
Resources
- World Meterological Organization video summary of 2019 Climate Report
- IPCC Special 1.5 Degree Centigrade report
- US Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4) Climate Science Special Report
- Climate Ready Boston 2016 Report (detailed projections of future impacts)
- PNAS Perspective: Trajectories of the Earth System in the Anthropocene
- Scientific American: Scientists’ warnings about climate change have intensified over the past 12 months (with links to 12 CLIMATE REPORTS from October 2018 – October 2019)
Tipping Points and Feedback Loops
- Climate Emergency: Feedback Loops, a 2021 series of five short films featuring 12 world-renowned climate scientists
- Eleven critical Climate Change tipping points defined
- Great 11 minute animation on tipping point interactions
- Nature: Climate tipping points — too risky to bet against
- How climate change feeds off itself and gets even worse (Dec. 2020)
Communicating the Climate Crisis
- Climate Reality Project: Climate 101
- The Conversation: framing the climate crisis to avoid political prejudice
- Climate Exchange report on Communicating the Climate Crisis
- Skeptical Science: combating global warming myths
- Yale Program on Climate Change Communication
- America Misled: How the fossil fuel industry deliberately misled Americans about climate change
- En-ROADS. Developed by MIT and Climate Interactive, En-ROADS is a global model to communicate how changes in the energy, economic, and public policy systems could affect greenhouse gas emissions and climate outcomes. Here’s a 1.5 degree scenario, which is interactive.
- Climate Emergency Mobilization Task Force (CEMTF), CA Bay Area: recordings of useful presentations
National & International Advocacy and Organizing
- 350.org focus on 1.5 Centigrade goal
- The Climate Mobilization
- Latest list and map of Climate Emergency declarations (now including Acton)
- Climate Emergency Mobilization Team, Sierra Club
Massachusetts Policies, Advocacy and Organizing
- MA Power Forward Coalition
- MA Clean Energy Forward
- MA Extinction Rebellion on Climate Emergency
- Boston Extinction Rebellion: Emergency Everywhere (including Arlington, Watertown, Wellesley, Worcester, Cambridge, Somerville)
- MA Decarbonization Roadmap (current climate planning by state agency)
- State Strategies to Address Climate Change, 12/2020 (including MA)
Climate Action and Net Zero Planning for Towns
(ideas for Acton planning, with various ambition levels)
- Acton Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report (June 2019)
- Acton Environmental Sustainability Policy (Dec. 2018)
- Ann Arbor, MI (2020 Plan & website) with 100% by 2030 goal
- Montgomery County, MD draft Climate Action plan with 100% by 2035 goal
- The Climate Mobilization’s plan (2019 update)
- Boston, MA (2019 update), Green New Deal for Boston (from City Councilor Michelle Wu), and Carbon-free Boston Analytical Reports (Boston University)
- Cambridge, MA (2018 update and Net Zero Plan)
- Lexington, MA (2018 short plan)
- Concord, MA (2020)
- Northampton, MA (Feb. 18, 2021)
- The Carbon-Free City Handbook 2017 by Rocky Mountain Institute
- Policy Hub – City and Local by C2ES, the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
- Institute for Local Government (resources and CA examples)
Renewable Energy and Other Opportunities
- Renewable energy information from Commonwealth of MA: “Get Clean Energy” from Mass CEC and other info from DOER
- 100% Renewables – The Solutions Project: Massachusetts Renewable Mix and more background information from Stanford Professor Jacobson
- 100% Renewable Energy Reports from Environment Massachusetts
- Project Drawdown
Potential Partners/Services for Climate Plan Implementation
- ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability
- MassEnergize
- Home solar: EnergySage (for home solar options)
- Heat pumps: HeatSmart Alliance
- EVs: Green Energy Consumers Alliance: Drive Green
- Home Insulation: Mass Save/MyEnergy Virtual Home Energy Assessments
- Mass Save Energy Rebates
Resources for Multifamily Buildings
ACEEE:
– https://www.aceee.org/program/buildings and
– https://www.aceee.org/topic-brief/2021/07/high-impact-programs-targeting-regional-multifamily-energy-savings
RMI:
– https://rmi.org/our-work/buildings/deep-retrofit-tools-resources/ and
– https://rmi.org/our-work/building-electrification/ and
– https://rmi.org/our-work/buildings/realize/
DOE:
– https://betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/beat-blog/protecting-residents-nexus-health-and-efficiency-multifamily-housing and
– https://betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/search?search_api_views_fulltext=electrification and
– https://betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/search?f%5B0%5D=field_building_type%3A361
Boston:
– https://www.boston.gov/sites/default/files/file/2021/02/Boston_Performance_Standard_Technical_Methods_2021-02-18_20-013_0.pdf and
– https://www.hklaw.com/en/insights/publications/2021/02/city-of-boston-releases-draft-emissions-performance-standard-policy
Zero Emission Pledge Form