ELECTED OFFICIAL AND CANDIDATE PLEDGE

Whereas global warming has been acknowledged by the world’s scientific community as being responsible for climate change;

And whereas this condition is  affecting the State of Florida and our communities including sunny day  flooding (sea level rise), more frequent and intense hurricanes, hotter  prolonged temperatures, increased red tide events, decreased air quality  due to carbon emissions adversely impacting the health of our citizens; 

And whereas it is the  responsibility of elected officials to ensure the health and well-being  of its citizens and the economic viability of our community and its  environment;

I respectfully pledge in my capacity as a current  or future elected public official of Manatee County ,  that I will remain informed about the environmental challenges facing  our community and will commit resources and direct efforts to mitigate  the effects of climate change in our area, both in present and future  forms.

As part of those efforts, and in recognition of a  national survey conducted by George Mason University in June 2020 that  reveals 71% of voters support legislation to achieve a 100% clean  economy by eliminating fossil fuel emissions, I will work towards  decarbonizing our economy and pass a resolution  that establishes a set of time-bound goals to achieve  100% clean energy for our entire community by no later than 2045.
 

By signing this pledge, I  commit my county to the growing number of over 165 cities and  counties, including the City of Sarasota, and 8 states (as of mid-2020)  that have passed 100% clean energy commitments since 2016. Because of  these commitments over 1 in 4 Americans now live in a community that has  pledged to provide clean energy, good paying jobs and a healthy  environment and economy for its citizens.