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Climate change declaration signed by Utah business and civic leaders

Posted at 5:28 PM, Nov 14, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-14 19:38:11-05

SALT LAKE CITY – Top leaders in Utah business and government pledged to tackle climate change by signing a declaration, called Path to Positive Utah.

The line-up included leaders from Goldman Sachs, Rio Tinto and the mayors of Salt Lake County and Salt Lake City.

Sarah Wright, executive director of Utah Clean Energy is leading the charge.

“What's significant here is that here in a conservative state we have leaders of all stripes from a diversity of community groups and industry groups coming together to say climate change poses risk to Utah but we can come together and find solutions that make sense for Utah,” Wright said.

According to Wright, Utahns are feeling the effects of climate change. 

“When we have no snowpack here, it will devastate the snow sport industry. It will devastate the agricultural industry. The climate of Salt Lake City will be similar to the climate in Las Vegas right now,” said Glenn Wright, Summit County Council Member.

The group says the evidence is in – human caused climate change is real.

“Just last month, the Salt Lake Tribune Hinckley Institute of politics poll showed that 71-percent of Utahns believe in climate change, and that 64-percent, 2/3rds of this state believe that human activity has an impact,” said Tom Love of Love Communications.

They warn if something isn’t done, the effects will be catastrophic.

“People have to adopt renewable energy. They have to go to electric vehicles when we go to renewable energy. They have to make homes tighter and more energy efficient,” said Wright. “That’s the only way we’re really gonna stop a global disaster,” Love said.

For more information about Path to Positive Utah, visit pathtopositiveutah.org