Climate Restoration Gains Momentum with Adoption of Principles and Initiatives Across Globe

LOS ALTOS, Calif., Aug. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Foundation for Climate Restoration (F4CR), a nonprofit dedicated to restoring the climate to pre-industrial levels of CO₂, has seen increasing awareness and momentum around the urgent implementation of climate restoration practices.

Local governments across the country have acknowledged the necessity of climate restoration and embraced a range of related resolutions. In December 2017, Montgomery County declared Emergency Climate Mobilization, which initiated large-scale efforts to remove excess atmospheric carbon. It also outlined greenhouse gas emissions reductions of 80% by 2027 and 100% by 2035.

In April 2019, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) introduced H.Con.Res 35, which expressed Congress' commitment to creating solutions for climate restoration to ensure a safe and healthy climate for future generations. This declaration of commitment has helped set the stage for broad support of climate restoration at the local level.

Santa Clara County implemented its Climate Restoration Emergency Resolution in January 2020, calling for the immediate mobilization of resources and labor to mitigate, restore, and prepare for climate change-related impacts. At Davos 2020, Sanjeev Khagram, Dean of Thunderbird School of Global Management, issued his trillion dollar market opportunity report, "Global Climate Restoration for People, Prosperity and Planet," on the heels of launching the Global Carbon Removal Taskforce. In November 2020, the City of Orlando announced their Climate Emergency Declaration, which recognizes the existence of a climate emergency and supports mobilization efforts that will return us to safe, pre-industrial levels of atmospheric carbon.

In September 2020, Pope Francis delivered an earnest message on the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, stating that "climate restoration is of utmost importance, since we are in the midst of a climate emergency."

In May 2021, California State Senator, Henry Stern, chair of the Senate Natural Resources & Water Committee and the Joint Legislative Committee on Emergency Management, introduced a bill on climate restoration, CA SB-582, that requires the state board to ensure that statewide greenhouse gas emissions are reduced to at least 80% below the 1990 level by 2030.

"It is heartening to know that a greater number of state and local leaders from across the country are aware of climate restoration," said Henry Stern, a California State Senator who chairs the Senate Natural Resources & Water Committee and the Joint Legislative Committee on Emergency Management.  "As the UN report this week made crystal clear, the speed at which we can translate that awareness into action will dictate what the future holds for our children and the generations that follow."

In June 2021, California State Senator, Josh Becker, introduced "The Net-Zero Concrete and Cement Bill" (SB-596), which will help California reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the production of concrete and its main ingredient, cement.

And a number of school districts, including Cold Spring Elementary, Oroville Union High School, Alameda Unified School, and the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, have passed resolutions calling for climate restoration action.

F4CR has also seen an uptick in the establishment of grassroots chapters globally. There are now 19 chapters around the world, spanning from the U.S. to Italy, and Liberia to Australia. The chapter in Madagascar has recently partnered with the country's Ministry of Vocational Training to provide the unemployed with mass training in climate restoration skills and technologies. Under this plan, 70% of new jobs will be in the climate restoration sector, with the aim of curbing unemployment and progressing towards the global target of eliminating 50 billion tons of CO₂ from our atmosphere.

Additionally, there has been a surge in youth support of F4CR initiatives, with current Youth Climate Restoration Leaders from 19 countries and over 500 applicants for the Ambassador Program from all six continents.

"We at the Foundation know that mitigation and adaptation alone are not enough," said Dr. Erica Dodds, Interim CEO, F4CR. "So we are thrilled to see our governments, leaders, and youth embracing climate restoration. This brings us one step closer to the widespread implementation of climate restoration practices, which is critical to protect our climate and our communities for generations to come."

About the Foundation for Climate Restoration

The Foundation for Climate Restoration (F4CR) is a nonprofit whose mission is to catalyze action to restore the climate by 2050. It uses global dialogue and initiatives to unite the public, policy-makers, and technical and business experts behind the common goal of reversing global warming and restoring a healthy climate for future generations. The F4CR encourages and spotlights achievable solutions to permanently remove excess carbon dioxide from our atmosphere. For more information visit www.f4cr.org.

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SOURCE Foundation for Climate Restoration