The San Antonio City Council has approved participating in the Paris Climate Agreement. In a 9-1 vote, San Antonio now joins 300 other cities in upholding the provisions of the accord.
Accepting the Paris Climate Agreement is one of the first statements made by the new council. Mayor Ron Nirenberg says it sets the stage for future policy.
“Under the Obama Administration we decided that cities need to lead on climate issues and we sent mayors all around the country to Paris to come up with this accord,” Nirenberg said.
District 10 Councilman Clayton Perry was the lone dissenter. Perry said he didn’t have enough time to talk to constituents.
“District 10 is a big district and I would like the opportunity to go back and get feedback from district to see what they really want,” Perry said.
Perry’s motioned to delay the vote until August was supported by District 6 Councilman Greg Brockhouse.
“Frankly, I did not receive one comment during the campaign on a climate action plan or the Paris accord. It did not come up in district six, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist or it’s not an issue or situation,” Brockhouse said.
Perry’s motion failed and Brockhouse ultimately supported the Paris Agreement. Joining the accord makes no major shift in the city’s climate plan nor does it initiate any new mandates. It does require the tracking of certain emissions. City council’s decision comes on the heels of President Trump’s commitment to have the United States withdraw from it.
