Council approves resolution on Paris climate accord

FILE - San Antonio residents and activists gather Wednesday, June 7, to urge former Mayor Ivy Taylor to sign a mayors’ pledge to support the goals of the Paris accord. The City Council voted overwhelmingly to support a resolution stating San Antonio would address climate change on Thursday. less FILE - San Antonio residents and activists gather Wednesday, June 7, to urge former Mayor Ivy Taylor to sign a mayors’ pledge to support the goals of the Paris accord. The City Council voted overwhelmingly to ... more Photo: Brendan Gibbons /San Antonio Express-News Photo: Brendan Gibbons /San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 59 Caption Close Council approves resolution on Paris climate accord 1 / 59 Back to Gallery

In the first voting session of the 2017-19 City Council, the body voted 9-1 today to recognize that global warming is occurring and that San Antonio will work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

San Antonio joins other cities across the U.S. in the Mayors National Climate Action Agenda by its adoption and support of the Paris Agreement, according to language in the council-approved resolution.

“It is our first council agenda, but there are very important foundations that we lay in our city on issues of resilience, on issues of equity and fairness,” Mayor Ron Nirenberg said just before the vote.

He reminded those in the audience who’d attended the meeting in support of the resolution that it was just that — the city has resolved to address climate change, but there’s much hard work and debate to come.

After he was elected June 10, Nirenberg said joining other American cities in fighting climate change was a priority for his fledgling administration.

Nearly two dozen residents addressed the council, all but one speaking in support of the resolution. They included college students who implored the council to take action for their future and a former resident of the Mission Trails mobile home park along the San Antonio River, who worries not only about San Antonio but the entire world.

“You can see when Mother Earth is not cared for, it is us who get sick,” Manuel de La O said.

Council members lined up to support the resolution, including Ana Sandoval, a climate scientist elected to represent District 7. She’s expected to be a leader on environmental issues for this council.

“Climate change is a big problem, there’s no doubt about it,” she said, noting that it impacts butterflies and other wildlife, causes heat waves and impacts people with asthma. “It is not one issue. It is every issue.”

Only District 10 Councilman Clayton Perry voted against the resolution. He’d attempted to delay the vote, and got support from Councilman Greg Brockhouse to do so, but their push died in a 2-8 vote. Ultimately, Brockhouse supported the measure, but not before voicing significant displeasure at how the item had made the council’s first agenda.

He suggested that the resolution should have passed through council committees, where individual members might have pushed to change some of the language it contains.

District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez was not present for his first council session. He was testifying as an informant in a federal corruption case.

jbaugh@express-news.net

Twitter: @jbaugh