Bill Text: NJ AR52 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges NJ to join United States Climate Alliance Natural and Working Lands challenge.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-01-11 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee [AR52 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-AR52-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
220th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2022 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman JAMES J. KENNEDY
District 22 (Middlesex, Somerset and Union)
SYNOPSIS
Urges NJ to join United States Climate Alliance Natural and Working Lands challenge.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Assembly Resolution urging the Governor to have New Jersey join the United States Climate Alliance's Natural and Working Lands challenge.
Whereas, Global surface temperatures have risen two degrees Fahrenheit over the past century, and the rate that temperatures are rising has tripled over the last 30 years; and
Whereas, Human activities, specifically the emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gasses (GHG) from fossil fuel production and combustion, deforestation, and land degradation, have contributed to global warming trends; and
Whereas, Global warming and climate change have resulted in rising sea levels, increased storm severity, increased risk of wildfires, damage to agriculture and fisheries, heightened air pollution, and certain adverse health effects, which are predicted to increase into the future; and
Whereas, Due to its geography, population, and other factors, New Jersey is especially vulnerable to the negative effects of climate change; and
Whereas, In an attempt to mitigate the effects of global warming and climate change, the United States Climate Alliance is inviting state and local governments, nations, businesses, indigenous communities, and other actors to join the Natural and Working Lands (NWL) challenge, which has the collective goal of maintaining natural and working lands to reduce GHG emissions and increase carbon sequestration; and
Whereas, Natural and working lands are forests, farms, ranches, grasslands, wetlands, and urban greenspaces, which can be publicly or privately owned, and are managed for a variety of purposes including commercial use, recreational open space, and wildlife habitat; and
Whereas, Natural and working lands, if maintained and managed properly, can serve as carbon sinks, which capture and store carbon dioxide in vegetation and soils where it remains separated from the atmosphere; these lands sequester carbon while providing significant and cost-effective opportunities to reduce GHG emissions; and
Whereas, Maintaining the resilience of natural and working lands through land conservation, restoration, and improved management can also support watersheds and food systems, improve air quality, protect against sea level rise, and preserve the beauty and function of natural areas and parks; and
Whereas, New Jersey's Global Warming Response Act 80x50 report, published in October 2020, detailed that additional efforts are needed in order for the State to meet its goals of reducing 80 percent of GHG emissions by 2050 including improving the State's carbon sequestration; and
Whereas, The goals of the NWL challenge are consistent with those of the Paris Agreement and those of the New Jersey Global Warming Response Act and, for these reasons, New Jersey should join the United States Climate Alliance's NWL challenge and continue to combat climate change and global warming; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House urges the Governor to have New Jersey join the United States Climate Alliance's Natural and Working Lands challenge.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the Governor of the State of New Jersey and the United States Climate Alliance.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges the Governor to have the State of New Jersey join the United States Climate Alliance's Natural and Working Lands (NWL) challenge, which aims to mitigate the adverse effects of global warming and climate change through proper maintenance and management of natural and working lands.
Global warming is the rise in the average temperature of the Earth, and its related effects. Human activities, specifically the emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gasses (GHG) from fossil fuel production and combustion, deforestation, and land degradation, have contributed to global warming trends. Rising sea levels due to global warming and climate change will lead to coastal flooding on the Eastern seaboard, including New Jersey. As a result of global warming and climate change, forests, farms, and cities will face troublesome new pests, heat waves, heavy downpours, and increased flooding which will collectively damage or destroy agriculture and fisheries. Melting glaciers, early snowmelt, and severe droughts will cause more dramatic water shortages and increase the risk of wildfires. Collective preventative action is imperative in order to mitigate the adverse effects of global warming and climate change.
The United States Climate Alliance is inviting state and local governments, nations, businesses, indigenous communities, and other actors to join the Natural and Working Lands (NWL) challenge, which has the collective goal of maintaining natural and working lands as a resilient net sink of carbon. Natural and working lands, if properly maintained and managed, can serve as carbon sinks, which capture and store carbon dioxide in vegetation and soils where it remains separated from the atmosphere. These lands sequester carbon while providing significant and cost-effective opportunities to reduce GHG emissions. In addition, maintaining the resilience of natural and working lands through land conservation, restoration, and improved management can also support watersheds and food systems, improve air quality, protect against sea level rise, and preserve the beauty and function of natural areas and parks.
The NWL challenge encourages its participants to consider, and, as appropriate, adopt practices that increase long-term carbon sequestration in forests, protect existing natural and working lands from conversion, support healthy soils on farms and ranches, restore coastal wetlands and sub-tidal habitats that protect shorelines from sea level rise, restore ecosystems and protect open space watersheds, and grow the urban forest and other greenspace to improve health and livability. The goals of the NWL challenge are consistent with those of the Paris Agreement and also with the State's carbon sequestration recommendations listed within New Jersey's Global Warming Response Act 80x50 report, published in October 2020. For these reasons, the Governor is urged to have the State of New Jersey join the United States Climate Alliance's NWL challenge, so that the State can improve its carbon sequestration, reduce GHG emissions, and further mitigate the adverse effects of global warming and climate change.
