Climate Change & Global Warming: Local Solutions

Local Solutions to Global Warming

Cities across the United States are leading the way when it comes to climate protection. Find out what local communities are doing to help fight global warming and climate change!

U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement

The Kyoto Protocol went into effect without U.S. participation in February of 2005. But thanks to the work of Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and the U.S. Conference of Mayors hundreds of communities have committed to meet the emissions reductions targets Kyoto had established for the U.S.

As of January 23, 2008 a total of 780 cities had signed onto the U.S. Mayors Conference Climate Protection Agreement.

Cities that sign onto the agreement pledge to:

1. Strive to meet or beat the Kyoto Protocol targets in their own communities, through actions ranging from anti-sprawl land-use policies to urban forest restoration projects to public information campaigns.

2. Urge their state governments, and the federal government, to enact policies and programs to meet or beat the greenhouse gas emission reduction target suggested for the United States in the Kyoto Protocol -- 7% reduction from 1990 levels by 2012.

3. Urge the U.S. Congress to pass the bipartisan greenhouse gas reduction legislation, which would establish a national emission trading system.

The US Mayors Conference has also partnered with the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives Cities Climate Protection campaign to help communities develop climate action plans and implement them.

For more info visit:

http://www.usmayors.org/climateprotection/

International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) Cities for Climate Protection Campaign

The International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) was founded in 1990 as "an international association of local governments and national and regional local government organizations that have made a commitment to sustainable development."

Around 800 communities around the world are members of the ICLEI's Cities for Climate Protection Campaign (CCP). 150 CCP communities are found in the United States.

The goal: "The US CCP Campaign seeks to achieve significant reductions in US domestic greenhouse gas emissions by assisting local governments in taking action to reduce emissions and realize multiple benefits for their communities."

The ICLEI has established five goals for CCP member communities to meet. The following is an abbreviated version of the CCP's "5 Milestones":

1. Conduct a baseline emissions inventory and forecast.

2. Adopt an emissions reduction target for the forecast year.

3. Develop a Local Action Plan.

4. Implement policies and measures.

5. Monitor and verify results.

The ICLEI provides member communities with the expertise, software, and technical assistance they need to achieve these goals.

Learn more at: http://www.iclei.org/index.php?id=800

Climate Protection & U.S. Cities

A number of cities have established firm goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Boston: Mayor Menino has set two goals: (1)Reduce GHG emissions to a level seven percent below 1990 levels by 2012. (2) Reduce GHG emissions to a level 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. Source: http://www.cityofboston.gov/climate/

New York City: Has a plan to reduce GHG emissions by 30 percent by 2030. Source: http://www.nyc.gov/html/planyc2030/html/home/home.shtml

Seattle: Has a plan to reduce GHG emissions to a level 7 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. Source: http://www.seattle.gov/climate/docs/SeaCAP_plan.pdf

More to come!

The Sierra Club's Cool Cities Campaign

The Sierra Club has launched a campaign called Cool Cities to help local grassroots activists bring their communities into the fight against global warming.

Cool Cities begin their commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by signing onto the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. The Cool Cities campaigns also encourages participating communities to join the ICLEI's Cities for Climate Protection campaign.

The campaign encourages communities to pursues sustainability as well.

The Cool Cities website offers local governments and citizen activists a multitude of resource they can use to help their community reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reach sustainability.

Learn more:

http://coolcities.us/

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What is your community doing to help fight climate change?

Lensmaster

Silver_Lotus wrote...

Good stuff! I'm adding it to my lensroll for Your Green Guide!

Posted August 13, 2008

Lensmaster

Chrissiebuzybee wrote...

I live in the UK. I think that this is very encouraging to see that things are being implemented that I was unaware of. I appreciate your lens. Great stuff.

Posted February 27, 2008