# Letter from the County Executive Climate change presents two distinct and important challenges. The first is that the impacts of climate change are not manifested overnight. They are gradual – the recession of glaciers over the decades, the warming of waters in our creeks and declining salmon runs, the hotter and smokier summers. It is like the parable of the boiling of the frog, we don’t see much difference from day to day, but it becomes clear that things are different when we take the perspective of several decades. This slow creep makes it difficult to convey the urgency of **addressing climate change, both its causes and impacts**. People are inclined to be more worried about the transitory problems of tomorrow than the big problems of the next decades and centuries. However, that’s how we create legacy problems, such as superfund sites and urban sprawl, which are passed along to our children.
The second challenge is the fact that there is no single solution to climate change. It’s going to require **action across a very broad spectrum of areas and levels of government**. This includes our **transportation** choices, how we manage **land use** and **heavy industry**, how we **farm** sustainably, rebuild connectivity in our **watersheds** and enhance **forest health**. We need to change our thinking and behavior in all of these areas and also to make significant **investments**. The enormous scope of the problem seems overwhelming, and it’s too easy to sit back and say, “What can one county government do in the face of this global problem?” This sense of futility is not easy to overcome.
The proposed Climate Action Plan for Whatcom County addresses, in part, both of these challenges. First, it draws attention to the urgency of the situation and why we need to act today as responsible stewards of this beautiful corner of the world. It provides a compelling call to action. Second, it sets specific and attainable **goals** which are within the purview of county government. It outlines what **actions** should be taken, when and what they are going to achieve. It’s a realistic roadmap and it will have tangible, positive **impacts**.
I am very appreciative of the Climate Impact Advisory Committee for their time and dedication over the past two years. Working with climate experts and County staff, they’ve created a plan that is supported by science, supported by community members and very much supported by me. I look forward to discussing it with County Council and staff as we prepare for its adoption and **implementation**.
Satpal Sidhu Whatcom County Executive