Climate Emergency Declarations Pass in Seven Cape Towns

Dennis Town Hall

DENNIS – With the addition of Dennis earlier this month, Climate Emergency Declarations have passed in all seven of the first town meetings held this fall on Cape Cod. 

“In each of the town meetings that have happened so far, there was barely any argument that this wasn’t an emergency. Hopefully it’s preparing the grounds so that as we go forward with more detailed strategies in each town to combat greenhouse gas emissions, there will be more consensus that yes, we have to do this,” said Co-coordinator of the Cape Cod Climate Action Network Barry Margolin.

The towns of Harwich, Truro, Eastham, Wellfleet, Falmouth and Provincetown have also approved Climate Emergency Declarations.

Margolin said that he is optimistic that every town on the Cape will eventually pass a climate emergency declaration and will continue to take action to cut fossil fuel emissions.

He stressed the importance of urgent action as more signs of climate change continue to grow, such as increased frequency and intensity of wildfires, storms, floods and coastal erosion.

Cape Cod, with its close relationship with the warming sea, is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, said Margolin.

Many Cape towns have already taken action to fight climate change, such as installing solar panels on town buildings and buying electric vehicles for town fleets.

According to Margolin, the next step after getting the towns to declare the emergency is to get the public more involved in taking action.

“Our hope is that what happens next is a big move among residents to take up the green energy opportunities that are out there. Solar power, electric vehicles and energy efficiency improvements. We can fix this, but we all have to be involved in it,” said Margolin.

Margolin said that his greatest fear would be if people thought solving climate change was “hopeless” and that he and others in the initiative stress that climate change can still be stopped.

More information about the Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative can be found here.