James Island, SC @GullahGeechee Resolves to Take #ClimateAction!

Gullah/Geechee Nation ♦ December 18, 2020 ♦ 5 Comments

Due to the efforts of Climate Reality of Charleston, the James Island Town Council in Charleston County, SC in the Gullah/Geechee Nation unanimously voted in favor of this #climateaction resolution:

RESOLUTION #2020-20

Resolution on Global Climate Change and the Town’s Commitment to Mitigate
and Prepare for its Consequences

Whereas the Town of James Island seeks to protect, conserve, and be good stewards of our
environment, responsibly plan and base our policy decisions on science and quantifiable facts;

Whereas prudent, fact-based stewardship of our environment is a critical responsibility for all James
Islanders in order to ensure that we preserve our Island for future generations;

Whereas there has been a marked increase in extreme weather events across the world which have
had noticeable, negative impacts such as longer and hotter heat waves, more severe storms,
worsening flood and drought cycles, growing invasive species and insect problems, threatened
native plant and wildlife populations, rising sea levels, and increased wildfire risk which are
expected to worsen in every region of the world, including James Island;

Whereas increased pollutants and other factors contribute to local, regional, and national
environmental and human health impacts, including increased mercury in the fish we eat,
elevated asthma attacks in our children, acid rain, smog, degraded water quality, urban heat
islands, and rapid storm water runoff that leads to costly infrastructure projects;

Whereas, if left unaddressed, the consequences of a changing climate have the potential to
adversely impact all James Islanders, leaving future generations with costly economic and
environmental burdens;

Whereas there is increased recognition that we can and must take meaningful and responsible
action now to address this issue:

Now It Is Therefore Resolved, the Council of the Town of James Island supports economically
viable and broadly supported private and public solutions to address the causes and effects of
measured changes to our global and regional climates, including needed changes in human
activities that have been found to have a negative impact, and;

Be it Further Resolved, the Council of the Town of James Island encourages all James Islanders
to conserve and protect our natural environment by increasing their use of solar and other
renewable energy, planting trees and other carbon absorbing vegetation, bio-retention of
stormwater, and so reduce our carbon footprint, and commits to providing appropriate
educational resources to aid the efforts of our citizens, and;

Be it Further Resolved that the Council of the Town of James Island will seek reasonable and
cost effective means to begin reducing the carbon footprint of each of our municipal
departments during the budget process for the 2021-22 fiscal year, and subsequent years, and;

Be it Further Resolved that the Town will continue its forward-looking flood plain and storm
water regulations, the provision of sidewalks and bikeways, protection of greenspace through
parks, the planting of street trees, as well as emergency planning to mitigate and prepare for
the consequences of global climate change including likely increases in sea level and increased
intensity of tropical storms.

We salute the Mayor and Town Council of James Island! Tenki Tenki fa disya! We are looking for the other municipalities along our coast to join them in #climateaction!

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Here is a video of the presentation from the “Town Hall on the James Island Resolution to Address Sea Level Rise and Climate Change.” This virtual webinar town hall was hosted by the Charleston Climate Coalition: