News release dated January 3rd, 2022

Fort Collins, CO – The Colorado Coalition for a Livable Climate (CCLC) expresses its deepest sympathy for all those impacted by the Marshall Fire in Boulder County.  And we applaud the federal government’s recent major disaster declaration, which was facilitated by Governor Polis.

As has been reported by Mike Nelson, Denver7 Chief Meteorologist, two of the of the most important conditions that led to the state’s most expensive fire – record heat and record drought – are part of global climate change.  Boulder County is the latest area to feel the impacts of this unfolding tragedy, which caused intense wildfires, droughts, heat waves, and floods throughout 2021, in places as geographically diverse as the Amazon, Siberia, The Philippines, northwestern North America, and northern Europe.  As long as human beings – particularly those of us in the industrialized world – fail to curb emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane, these disasters will continue to multiply.

Last November, the CCLC joined with United for Colorado’s Climate to call on Governor Polis to declare a climate emergency, and to accelerate Colorado’s efforts to address that emergency.  We repeat that call today.  Colorado should act swiftly to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions in line with scientists’ recommendations and Colorado’s own climate goals.  It is essential that we phase out oil and gas production over the present decade and shutter all coal-fired power plants by 2025.  Taking these actions in Colorado, coupled with similar actions across the country and across the world, is the only way to prevent tragedies like the one that struck Boulder County last week from engulfing civilization.

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The Colorado Coalition for a Livable Climate (CCLC) develops and advocates strategies for reducing Colorado’s greenhouse gas emissions to levels supportive of a livable climate.  We currently have 39 member organizations located throughout the State of Colorado. Visit our website at https://colivableclimate.org to learn more.