New York City Council declares climate emergency: Clean energy is 'vital to our future'

The New York City Council on Wednesday approved a resolution declaring a climate emergency, calling a sweeping transition to clean energy systems "vital to our future."

"New York City, as the largest city in the United States, can act as a global leader by both converting to an ecologically, socially, and economically regenerative economy at emergency speed, and by organizing a transition to renewable energy and climate emergency mobilization effort," the council wrote in its resolution.

The Huffington Post called the resolution "largely symbolic" and added it didn't require Mayor Bill de Blasio's signature.

Still, with New York's estimated population of more than 8.3 million, the city is now the largest in the U.S to declare a climate emergency, according to data gathered by Innovation for Cool Earth Forum (ICEF).

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In fact, it's the only U.S. city with more than 1 million people to declare a climate emergency, according to the organization. The ICEF is a Japan-based forum meant "to solve the 21st century’s greatest environmental challenges."

"People around the world have a fundamental human right to clean, healthy and adequate air, water, land, food, education, healthcare, and shelter," council members wrote in the resolution.

More than 670 municipalities across 15 counties have declared climate emergencies, according to the ICEF. In the U.S. including New York, 19 municipalities have either declared or recognized a climate emergency.

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"The United States of America has disproportionately contributed to the climate emergency and has repeatedly obstructed global efforts to transition toward a green economy, and thus bears an extraordinary responsibility to rapidly address these existential threats," said the resolution, which was sponsored by 12 of the 51 New York City Council members.

The resolution was approved by voice vote, signaling a strong majority in favor.

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The resolution comes days after 74 medical and public-health groups called climate change a "health emergency."

"Marginalized populations in New York City and worldwide, including people of color, immigrants, indigenous communities, low-income individuals, people with disabilities, and the unhoused are already disproportionately affected by climate change, and will continue to bear an excess burden as temperatures increase, oceans rise, and disasters worsen," the resolution said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New York City Council declares climate emergency: Clean energy is 'vital to our future'