On February 1, 2022, the Nederland Board of Trustees unanimously passed Resolution 2022-07, declaring a Climate Emergency for the town. With changing climate patterns including increasing temperatures and shifting seasonal patterns, Nederland is already experiencing the impact of climate change and this effect is only expected to increase. Reflecting the results of scientific research, the resolution states that “in Boulder County, these impacts are manifest in wildfires burning twice as much acreage now as they did in 1980; more frequent and more severe flooding exemplified by the devastating flood of 2013; and an increase in the number of summer days that will reach temperatures of over 96 degrees fahrenheit, from an average of five between 1970-1999 to as many as 75 by the end of the 21st century”.

Sustainability has long been an integral piece of Nederland’s culture. With aggressive zero waste goals, a 100% renewable energy target by 2025 and Nederland’s recent bronze SolSmart distinction, making solar panel installations easier for residents and businesses, a sustainability focus has long been a community priority. The motivation for the latest Climate Emergency Resolution stemmed from the release of the Sixth and most recent assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The IPCC is the United Nations panel for assessing the science related to climate change. The Sixth report was clear, limiting global warming to 1.5 celsius could soon become out of reach. These findings were a humbling reminder of the stark reality that we all face today and into the future, ultimately motivating the creation and adoption of this resolution.

The Nederland Board of Trustees were extremely supportive of this Sustainability Advisory Board-inspired resolution to the point that they asked that tangible targets and next steps be integrated into the resolution before it’s adoption. The requested additions included the following statements and declared focus by the town:

Section 1. The Nederland Board of Trustees hereby declares a Climate Emergency due to the significant threat that climate change has on each of its residents and in recognition of the dramatic efforts that must be made to reach a safe and stable climate before irreversible climate catastrophe occurs.

Section 2. The Town of Nederland shall take any and all action necessary and appropriate to act as a leader in addressing the Climate Emergency, and to join calls from climate activists for local, state, and national governments to undertake a unified transition and mobilization effort, including but not limited to: a. reaffirming the Town’s commitment to 100% renewable energy by 2025, and b. continuing to support and fund zero waste efforts, and c. supporting and providing opportunities for energy efficiency across all sectors, and d. reducing the need for and use of internal combustion engines in our community, and e. creating and maintaining multimodal transportation options, and f. promoting and providing opportunities for the electrification of buildings, and g. supporting efforts to maintain carbon pools for carbon sequestration, and h. promoting and providing opportunities for sustainable circular economies.

Section 3. The Town of Nederland will provide resources in support of a just transition to a sustainable economy, to secure workers’ rights and livelihoods, and to ensure that all efforts toward addressing the Climate Emergency are conducted with fairness and equity for all residents regardless of class, creed, gender, sexual orientation, ability, age, or ethnicity.

The Nederland Sustainability Advisory Board is tasked with advising the Board of Trustees in regards to implementing sustainability related initiatives in town and is working right now to update sustainability goals for 2022-2025 and beyond. Please contact the board with your ideas and suggestions and if you’re ready to work on these initiatives, there are two board positions currently open. For information, email sab@nederlandco.org.