Nine months ago, with the climate emergency escalating, Climate Action Now brought together organizers from climate action groups in the city of Northampton to discuss a burning question: “What meaningful action can we take here in the city in which we live?”

We agreed to work together under the banner of the Northampton Climate Emergency Coalition.

We identified the need for a high-level position in city government whose job would include coordinating departmental programs and projects to enhance energy efficiency and protecting our ecosystem and our residents from the impacts of ongoing climate-related damage. Knowing that it takes widespread participation of the community to address the complexities of the climate crisis, we prioritized the need for community outreach and engagement.

We entered into discussions with Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra, Northampton City Council and staff about how to accelerate citywide efforts, mindful of the need to approach this effort in a just and comprehensive way.

We convened a roundtable discussion among other municipal officials and staff serving in similar roles across Massachusetts to hear their perspectives and experiences. Participants agreed on the need for a position focused on the climate emergency which reports directly to the mayor. Roundtable participants emphasized the need to engage the community broadly, noting how helpful it is to have wide input to create new programs and galvanize volunteers.

Throughout this process we witnessed how powerful the mix of committed people and creative ideas can be as we continued to dialogue with the mayor and other city officials.

We applaud Mayor Sciarra for her decisive action and we appreciate her willingness to listen, and her determination to address the reality of the climate emergency. In the face of looming challenges ahead, the mayor has taken important steps by creating a Department of Climate Action and Project Administration (CAPA) and implementing a climate stabilization fund.

Our next step needs to be galvanizing the community to support the work of this new department. We live in a city full of passionate and knowledgeable people, many of whom are eager to help. Let’s make it a priority for the new director to commit to outreach and community involvement, ideally working with a committed group of residents.

In order to tackle the enormous challenges of the climate crisis we need city government and a strong united community to work hand in hand. Climate chaos is already upon us. Let’s collaborate to take action, bring our community together, and support one another as the crisis intensifies.

Joyce Rosenfeld, Susan Theberge, Adele Franks, and Eric Broadbent are members of the Northampton Climate Emergency Coalition, which includes Climate Action Now, Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence Climate Action Group, Mothers Out Front, Northampton Mayor’s Youth Commission, 2 Degrees, Extinction Rebellion, and First Churches Peace and Justice Team.

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