From inception to vote, the Climate Action Plan in Anchorage paves a way for Clean Energy for All Alaskans.
ANCHORAGE, AK - On May 21, 2019, the Anchorage Assembly adopted the Anchorage Climate Action Plan and joined over 7000 other communities in taking an active stand in the future of Climate Change Mitigation.
For the past year, hundreds of community organizations have worked with the Mayor’s Office to create a viable and innovative plan in the face of the UN’s 11 year climate change mitigation timeline. The implementation of this Climate Action Plan will boost the local economy, increase public health, and reduce the state’s carbon emissions overall, putting Anchorage on the path to sustainable Climate Change Mitigation.
Kristen Collins, Field Manager at The Alaska Center, is excited about this achievement and says “We have reached a state of emergency. This plan is a huge step forward for our community to do our part in addressing the global climate crisis but just a small piece of the changes we must take on globally. My hope is that the Dunleavy administration will follow the Municipality’s leadership and take climate action on at the state level.”
Supporters gathered in the Loussac Library lobby, most sporting “Clean Energy for All Alaskans,” t-shirts as they prepared for a long evening at the chambers. After several hours the floor was opened to public testimony and over 20 speakers ranging from youth leaders to parents, to solar company owners and former Governor Sheffield, spoke out in support of the Climate Action Plan.
Besse Odom from the Anchorage Branch of the NAACP said “ I can officially say that we can rejoice in knowing that we have a municipality who has worked on addressing climate change and is taking the necessary steps to ensure that the Anchorage community can remain resilient in the time of a changing climate. The climate action plan is a necessary step forward towards a more sustainable Anchorage.”
The adoption of this plan moves the Anchorage municipality to implement important carbon emission reduction tactics like energy efficiency retrofits for buildings, installing renewable energy, improving transportation systems, and increasing access to local foods, while saving the city money.
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