(CNN) New York City officials declared a climate emergency in an effort to mobilize local and national responses to stall global warming. It's the largest city in the US, with over 8.62 million inhabitants. The New York City Council passed the legislation Wednesday, calling for an immediate response to the global climate crises. "The United States of America has disproportionately contributed to the climate emergency and has repeatedly obstructed global efforts to transition toward a green economy, and thus bears an extraordinary responsibility to rapidly address these existential threats," lawmakers wrote. Climate emergency declarations typically don't contain policy measures on how to slow climate change, but function as symbols of municipalities' commitment to fighting it with future legislation.

Source: CNN June 27, 2019 18:00 UTC