Committee on Budget and Government Operations
January 27, 2021
ORDER
WHEREAS, climate change poses an existential threat to current and future generations; the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) posits that climate change is now very close to crossing the point of no return and to causing catastrophic consequences from which we may never recover; and
WHEREAS, the global climate crisis has already led to the rise in sea levels and an increase in extreme weather events; and
WHEREAS, the global temperature is on pace to increase 1.5 degrees Celsius between 2030 and 2052 as a result of the emission of greenhouse gases due to human activities; and
WHEREAS, due to climate change, the number of days exceeding 100-degrees Fahrenheit in Illinois is expected to continue to grow to as many as 60 days per year by the end of the century; and
WHEREAS, Chicago is both expected to see more consecutive dry days per year and an increase of precipitation through major storm events through the end ofthe century; and
WHEREAS, severe storm events increase the chances of flooding, land erosion, and the risk of overwhelming stormwater management systems; and
WHEREAS, longer dry spells and increased temperatures will lead to greater evaporation, more frost-free days, and reduced snowpack - impacting the levels of the lake over time; and ,
WHEREAS, Lake Michigan's shoreline is at risk of deleterious consequences from the impacts of climate change, including water contamination, declining cold water species, and an increased chance for occurrence of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABS) from increased water temperatures; and
WHEREAS, the Environmental Protection Agency reported that Chicago's shuttered Fisk and Crawford coal plants, located in Pilsen and Little Village, led to 2,800 asthma attacks annually,
demonstrating that the actual drivers of climate change are already disproportionately affecting communities of color and low-income families; and
WHEREAS, on average, ...
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