RESOLUTION NO. 19-29
RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE NAPA VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT AUTHORIZING THE CALL TO CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION AND REQUESTING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF THE COUNTY OF NAPA TO ISSUE SAID NOTES
WHEREAS, there is a broad scientific consensus among climate scientists that human activities contribute to increases in greenhouse gas emissions, and are the dominant cause of climate change (California, 2018); and,
WHEREAS, on April 12, 2016, world leaders from 175 countries recognized the threat of climate change and the urgent need to combat it by signing the Paris Agreement, agreeing to keep global mean temperature “well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels” and to “pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C;” and,
WHEREAS, on October 8, 2018, the IPCC released a special report, “Global Warming of 1.5°C,” stating that “Limiting global warming to 1.5°C would require rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society,” and projected that the Earth could reach and exceed this temperature threshold by as early as 2030, far earlier than previously anticipated; and,
WHEREAS, on November 23, 2018, the US federal government issued the Fourth National Climate Assessment report, which detailed the massive threat that climate change poses to the American economy, and underscored the need for immediate climate emergency action at all levels of government; and,
WHEREAS, we believe it is critical to advocate for the decisive near-term action needed to prevent further global warming, especially because this window of opportunity is rapidly closing; and,
WHEREAS, climate change is clearly not a partisan issue, and that local, state, and national policies should be guided by the best available science in order to increase the resiliency of our communities and prevent the worst effects of climate change; and,
WHEREAS, today’s children represent a particularly vulnerable group because increasing greenhouse gases and trapped heat will almost certainly have a profound negative impact throughout their lives, as well as the lives of future generations; and,
WHEREAS, the Sonoma Office of Education has encouraged local districts to engage in non-partisan climate advocacy and 30 school boards and student councils in California, Colorado, New York, Virginia, and Nevada have passed non-partisan climate action resolutions; and,
WHEREAS, in 2015 the California PTA declared climate change a children’s issue; and,
WHEREAS, the Napa Valley Unified School District Board of Education recognizes climate change as a generational justice and human rights issue; and,
WHEREAS, climate change is a social justice and equity issue. While climate change impacts all people and disproportionately impacts all young people and future generations, it disproportionately affects people of color and people in poverty, thereby exacerbating existing inequities and limiting the equality of opportunity which is a foundational aspiration for modern America; and,
WHEREAS, 21 youth claimants are currently asserting their constitutional right to a livable climate in the Juliana v. U.S. case currently in federal courts and dozens of other youth claimants are making similar claims in state courts around the country; and
WHEREAS, the global impact, urgency, and magnitude of the challenge of addressing climate change calls for courageous leadership in all sectors of society, in all institutions and from all elected leaders; and all those in positions of power must be held accountable. To preserve the health and longevity of the Earth for generations to come, leaders need to acknowledge that a climate emergency threatens the residents of Napa County and the entire world, and they must respond with the necessary emergency measures; and
WHEREAS, national and state elected leaders must work in a united will to enact carbon pricing policies to substantially reduce human-made greenhouse gas emissions, thereby protecting our current and future students; and,
WHEREAS, we work to ensure that all Napa Valley Unified School District students graduate as empowered individuals, with their own talents, interests, needs and goals. Napa Valley Unified School District Board of Education recognizes the link between student health and learning (Student Wellness, 2019); and,
WHEREAS, the Napa Valley Unified School District Board of Education recognizes and understands the significant negative impact that rapid and ongoing climate change has on the health and learning in America’s schools, students, and their communities (Hayes et.al., 2018); and,
WHEREAS, the Napa Valley Unified School District Board of Education celebrates existing district sustainability initiatives such as the Napa Valley Unified Wellness Program and investment in sustainability infrastructure such as solar panels installed in parking areas, and existing LEED certified building projects.
LET IT THEREFORE BE RESOLVED, that Napa Valley Unified School District Board of Education supports the Superintendent in implementing a Climate Stabilization Committee to develop recommendations for actions on climate change that are within the purview of the District and financially feasible, such as: continuing and enhancing opportunities for climate literacy and climate justice advocacy; further promoting plant-based and lower meat content in menu planning, food waste reduction programs, and composting; finding ways to eliminate plastic utensils and packaging; establishing targets for reducing the District’s greenhouse gas emissions; supporting non-partisan advocacy and engagement with local, state and federal jurisdictions for commonsense climate policies that will protect current and future students and the earth they will inhabit; encouraging Committee participation by board members, administration, staff, parents, students, and community members, with periodic reports of Committee activities; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Napa Valley Unified School District Board of Education support education of all staff on the latest climate science and the emergency mobilization needed in response; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Napa Valley Unified School District Board of Education support local climate mobilization efforts to reduce the sources of excess trapped heat that are responsible for climate change, and to increase resiliency for all residents, with special attention to the needs of marginalized and vulnerable communities, in order to achieve the goal of net zero climate pollution by or before 2030; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Napa Valley Unified School District Board of Education support the transmission of official copies of this resolution to the following: the Superintendent of County Schools, the school boards of all school districts in the County, all student councils in our district, district educators’ unions, all district PTA’s, all California county Superintendents of Schools, the State Superintendent of Education and the California State Board of Education, the Congressional Climate Solutions Caucus, the California State School Board Association, the National School Board Association, all California members of Congress, and the Schools for Climate Action campaign.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of Education of the Napa Valley Unified School District this 23rd day of May, 2019, by the following vote;
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
BY:
President
Board of Education
Napa Valley Unified School District
ATTEST:
BY:
Secretary of the Board of Education
Napa Valley Unified School District