There appears to be some political will in Vernon to tackle global warming.

On Monday, city council heard from the Vernon Climate Action Group and the need to tackle the changing environment.

“As a city, we’re not doing enough,” Coun. Brian Quiring told the group.

“We don’t take advantage of solar and we don’t have electric vehicles in our fleet. There are ways we could lead by example and we’re not.”

Coun. Juliette Cunningham also supports taking action, but points out that there are “opposing forces.”

“People are concerned about the economic impacts but we have to look at alternatives,” she said.

During the presentation, the Vernon Climate Action Group indicated that the North Okanagan is already being impacted by climate change through a reduced snowpack, violent storms and pine beetle infestation.

“As Canadians, the first thing we must do is immediately stop expanding the production and use of fossil fuels that will be turned into carbon dioxide once they are taken out of the ground,” said Bill Darnell, with the group.

“This does not mean stopping the use of all fossil fuels overnight. Governments and companies should conduct a managed decline of the fossil fuel industry and ensure a just transition to a fossil fuel free economy for the workers and communities that depend on it.”

The city is being asked to join Partners Through Climate Protection, which is part of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, and to create an advisory committee that can direct the transition to low greenhouse gas emissions.

Coun. Dalvir Nahal supports bringing residents together with city officials to form the committee.

“We could see where the city goes forward and makes change,” she said.