SACO — On Sept. 21, the Saco City Council passed a climate changed initiative.

Saco Middle School teacher Andrew Fersch and his students spent much of their class time during the 2019-2020 school year researching climate change. As a result of their work and research, the students developed the resolution, “Resolution Endorsing the Declaration of a Climate Emergency and Emergency Mobilization Effort to Restore a Safe Climate,” to endorse a climate change emergency and mobilization effort in Saco.

In brief, the historic decoration, which is available online at www.sacomaine.org (under City Council Agendas) reads: “The City of Saco declares that a climate and ecological emergency threatens our city, state, nation, civilization, humanity, and the natural world; the City of Saco also commits to a city-wide mobilization effort to combat global warming and the ecological crisis, which, with appropriate financial and regulatory assistance from State and Federal authorities: (a) Prioritizes zero-carbon solutions for local electricity, heating, and transportation systems, and (b) Accelerates local adaptation and resilience strategies in preparation for intensifying local climate impacts. ‘

Energy Committee member and City Councilor Jodi MacPhail introduced the resolution.

“As an Energy Committee member, resident, and councilor, seeing firsthand the research put in, from beginning to end, I am fully in support and proud of how hard these students worked in developing this resolution,” MacPhail said.