The County of Essex has joined the City of Windsor in declaring a climate change emergency.
The declaration encompasses all seven county municipalities and Lakeshore mayor Tom Bain says that means something different for each town.
He says getting this in place is an important step in the right direction.
"I think a lot of people don't realize how important it is. A lot of these changes are coming and they're going to affect their lives daily. We've been affected already by the flooding. That's one thing that's really hit home for our local residents."
Bain says not every municipality has the same resources to tap into.
"Some municipalities are going to be able to put more effort into their climate changes that they're making where other municipalities, they may not be able to get into buying all of the green items that are out there, but if each municipality give their 100%, I think that's what we're looking for."
Lakeshore Mayor Tom Bain attends Essex County Council on Wednesday December 19, 2018. (Photo by AM800's Gord Bacon)
He says, like any other issue, it comes down to funding.
"Finances are a big issue. When you're going to buy items a green bus is a lot more expensive. Some municipalities going only going to be able to afford one or two while other municipalities can make their whole fleet green. So those are things that each municipality is going to have to look at in their own light."
With the declaration, Windsor and the County of Essex join nearly 500 other cities including Edmonton, Vancouver and Halifax.
The pledge doesn't bind any municipality to any regulations, but affirms a commitment to keep climate change in mind when making future decisions.