WHEREAS, On March 23, 2018, the Trump administration announced the launch of an effort to weaken greenhouse gas emission and fuel economy standards for automobiles. The move, undercuts one of President Obama’s signature efforts to fight climate change; and
WHEREAS, E.P.A. reports that the United States accounts for 5% of the world’s population and 22% of the world’s carbon emissions that contribute to the Greenhouse Effect; and
WHEREAS, The “Obama-era rules for U.S. Automakers on Greenhouse Gas Emissions” are aimed at cutting tailpipe emissions of carbon dioxide, a major contributor to global warming. These rules would have required automakers to nearly double the average fuel economy of new cars and trucks to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025; and
WHEREAS, According to E.P.A. projections, the Obama-era rules, if fully implemented, would have cut oil consumption by about 12 billion barrels and reduced carbon dioxide pollution by about six billion tons over the lifetime of all the cars affected by the regulations; and
WHEREAS, According to the International Council on Clean Transportation, the rules would have put the United States at the forefront worldwide in the manufacture of electric and highly fuel-efficient vehicles. The United States and Canada are the only major nations that have adopted mandatory emissions standards through 2025; and
WHEREAS, Rollbacks of the Obama-era rules could also create a legal battle with California, which has vowed to stick with the stricter rules even if the Trump administration rolls back federal standards. That fight could end up creating one set of rules for cars sold in California and the 12 states that follow its lead, and weaker rules for the rest of the states, in effect splitting the nation into two markets; and
WHEREAS, The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences reports that changes in the greenhouse gas concentrations andother drivers alter the global climate and bring about a myriad of human health consequences. Environmental consequences of climate change include, but are not limited to, extreme heat waves; rising sea-levels; changes in precipitation resulting in flooding and droughts; intense hurricanes; and degraded air quality affect the physical, social, and psychological health of our most vulnerable citizens; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Council of the City of Philadelphia, Does hereby urge the President of the United States and the Environmental Protection Agency to recommit to the Obama-era rules for U.S. Automakers on Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
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