Sustainability Committee

October 28, 2025 Special Town Meeting Article 13

Resolution on Climate Action and Resilience for the Town of Littleton

To see if the Town will vote to adopt the following resolution:

WHEREAS, in a world facing extreme challenges, including rapid climate change, Littleton residents understand the importance of protecting the Earth and its inhabitants, can envision a better, sustainable future, and can create and execute bold plans for a prosperous economy and a thriving community; and

WHEREAS, the Fourth National Climate Assessment, released in 2018 by the federal government, calls out the cascading risks of climate change, including disruptions to food, water supply, transportation, public health, and national security, as well as major risks to economies and ecosystems; and

WHEREAS, in October 2018 the United Nations released a special report that projected that limiting warming to 1.5°C (2.7°F) above pre-industrial levels will require deep emissions reductions and rapid, unprecedented transitions in all aspects of society; and asserted that "Every bit of warming matters. Every year matters and every choice matters"; and

WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) projects that the Greater Boston region, which includes Littleton, will by 2030 experience more than twice the number of days each year with temperatures over 90 degrees Fahrenheit, more intense storms, and more frequent flooding and droughts, impacting infrastructure, public health, and quality of life; and

WHEREAS, the scientific community has issued repeated warnings that the present level of global warming is already triggering significant changes to the Earth's system, including increased wildfires, heat waves, droughts, flash floods, rising seas, and extreme weather; and

WHEREAS, the climate crisis is a threat multiplier, exacerbating health disparities and disproportionately harming vulnerable populations globally and locally, including children, pregnant women, low-income individuals, the elderly, people with disabilities and chronic illnesses, and marginalized peoples of all races and ethnicities; and

WHEREAS, Littleton, like other communities, is experiencing and is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including heavy precipitation, extreme heat, drought, and wind, which affect water resources, infrastructure, agriculture, and natural habitats; and

WHEREAS, the Town of Littleton has already undertaken important steps on climate and the environment, including its Hazard Mitigation Plan (2025) and Master Plan Update (2017), which acknowledge the need to incorporate climate change considerations into town planning and resilience efforts; and

WHEREAS, numerous localities, organizations, and countries, including over 20 communities in Massachusetts, have declared climate emergencies or adopted ambitious climate action goals, demonstrating a global and local momentum to address this challenge;

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the residents and Town Meeting of the Town of Littleton hereby declare that a Climate Emergency presents a serious threat to our town, state, and nation, as well as humanity broadly, and that a dedicated effort to meet this challenge is both an imperative and an unprecedented opportunity to stabilize the climate, remedy environmental harms, create clean-energy jobs, and improve human lives; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the members of Littleton Town Meeting call on Town government and staff, and all Littleton civic groups, businesses, and residents, with appropriate support from the state and federal governments, to commit to a climate mobilization effort to bring Town-wide net carbon emissions to zero in alignment with Massachusetts' statewide net-zero by 2050 target, while accelerating adaptation and resilience strategies to prepare for intensifying local climate impacts; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this climate action effort shall strive to ensure that its costs and benefits are distributed equitably and shall include the protection of natural resources, such as trees and open spaces, for their critical role in carbon sequestration, water management, and environmental health; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town of Littleton acknowledges Massachusetts' existing comprehensive climate initiative and its national leadership and calls upon state and federal elected officials to provide appropriate legislative, regulatory, technical, and financial support to municipalities to implement local climate action and resilience measures, recognizing that municipalities struggle to respond to increasing extreme weather emergencies alone.

 Or take any other action in relation thereto.

Motion: Moved and seconded by the Select Board that the Town vote to approve Article 13 as printed in the Warrant.

The Select Board voted unanimously to recommend this Article.

The Sustainability Committee voted unanimously to recommend this Article.