A United Nations report from a panel of climate scientists released in October is only the most recent warning of dire consequences for the planet if action isn’t taken to combat greenhouse gas emission. This particular warning from scientists received more attention because of the timeline it outlines; the report concludes there are only 12 years left before catastrophic effects of climate change begin to manifest, if no preventative steps are taken.

The report was highlighted by proponents of the Green New Deal, an ambitious proposal that aims to transition the United States to a 100 percent emissions-free energy infrastructure, while also addressing wealth inequality and election law reform.

But at the moment, the Green New Deal is simply a draft resolution in the House of Representatives asking for the creation an exploratory committee to work out its specifics.

Last week, Orange County Commissioners passed a resolution by a 6-1 margin asking North Carolina 4th District congressman David Price to support the creation of that exploratory committee on the Green New Deal.

Before the vote, the commissioners discussed the bill. Commissioner Earl McKee took aim at the yet undefined nature of a Green New Deal, and it specified cost.

Commissioner Renee Price highlighted that the resolution in front of the commissioners only asked Congressman Price to support forming a House committee and did not require the commissioners to endorse any specific policy that might be decided in the future.

Commissioner Sally Greene said she was more concerned with the eventual costs of inaction.

“To the question of, ‘what would it cost to do it?’ One might respond, ‘what is it going to cost all of us not to do something dramatic, and yes, radical, like this?'” Greene said. “Because as it’s been noted, our country, our world, our climate, our earth, is at a crisis point, and we’ve got to do something.”

McKee was the only dissenting vote on the resolution.

After the vote, Commissioner Mark Dorosin asked that the transcript from the meeting’s discussion be sent to the Orange County Environmental Advisory Board to consider and that they begin working on a presentation on the Green New Deal and climate change.

Congressman Price spokesperson Sawyer Hackett issued the following statement in response to the request from the county commissioners.

“As a member of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC), Rep. Price has consistently supported bold policies to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, invest in clean energy, and combat global climate change. In the new House majority, Democrats will consider serious proposals to address this issue, including the formation of a select committee to assess and combat the environmental and economic impacts of climate change and a Green New Deal, which has yet to be introduced in the House.”

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