U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement
The U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement is a collaborative initiative among mayors from various U.S. cities aimed at addressing global warming through local actions. Launched in November 2007 during a climate protection summit in Seattle, the agreement has garnered the support of over one thousand mayors who commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing energy efficiency in their communities. Participating cities have implemented a range of projects, such as Los Angeles' ambitious Green L.A. plan targeting significant emissions reductions and increased renewable energy use, and Chicago's focused efforts on retrofitting buildings to achieve substantial carbon footprint reductions.
The agreement has fostered various local initiatives across different cities, including energy-efficient lighting installations and alternative fuel conversions for municipal vehicle fleets. It also emphasizes support for low-income neighborhoods by providing subsidies for home insulation and energy-efficient appliances. Through these concerted efforts, the Climate Protection Agreement exemplifies a grassroots approach to combating climate change, reflecting a growing recognition of the role cities play in the fight against global environmental issues. This initiative showcases a commitment to sustainability and aims to inspire other communities to adopt similar measures in their quest for environmental stewardship.
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U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement
IDENTIFICATION: Agreement among mayors of US cities to take steps in their local areas to combat global warming
DATE: November 2007
The Climate Protection Agreement entered into by the members of the US Conference of Mayors has led to the initiation of many local projects that have increased energy efficiency and reduced the harmful emissions linked to global warming.
In November 2007, the US Conference of Mayors held a meeting described as a climate protection summit in Seattle, Washington. At the summit, more than one hundred US mayors joined together to call for a partnership between cities and the federal government to work against energy dependence and global warming. The meeting had been initiated by Greg Nickels, mayor of Seattle, who also proposed the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. Ironically, Nickels was voted out of his post in 2009 by voters angry at the city’s inability to deal with unusually heavy snow and ice the previous winter.
By the time the summit had ended, more than seven hundred mayors had signed the agreement, pledging to take action to combat global warming locally; by 2010 more than one thousand mayors had signed. In Los Angeles, for example, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, in partnership with the Los Angeles City Council and environmental leaders, unveiled a plan called Green L.A., described as “an action plan to lead the nation in fighting global warming.” Villaraigosa pledged to reduce his city’s to 35 percent below 1990 levels by 2035, the most ambitious goal set by a major American city. Los Angeles also planned to increase its use of renewable energy to 35 percent by 2020, much of it through changes at its municipal electrical utility, the largest in the country. The city had risen to 45 percent by 2023 and set a goal to reach 100 percent by 2045.
In Austin, Texas, energy-efficiency standards were raised for homes, requiring a 60 percent reduction in energy use by 2015 and sought to be net-zero by 2040. Chicago undertook a program to replace traditional urinals with waterless models and also planted several thousand trees. Philadelphia began to replace the black tar paper on the roofs of old row houses with snow-white, high-reflection composites. Keene, New Hampshire, required parents waiting for their children in their cars outside of schools to turn off their engines. Portland, Oregon, had already reduced its carbon emissions to 1990 levels by 2007; in addition, water flowing through Portland’s drinking-water system was used also to generate hydroelectricity. Mayors of at least 134 US cities have instituted the use of energy-efficient lighting in public buildings, in parks and on streets, in traffic signals, and other places in their cities. Many city governments’ auto fleets have converted to alternative fuels or hybrid-electric technology.
The Chicago Climate Action Plan, announced during September 2008, aims to cut emissions in that city by 25 percent, to 1990 levels, by 2020, and then set an additional goal to cut emissions by 62 percent by 2040. The plan required retrofitting of commercial and industrial buildings, increased energy efficiency in residences, and more use of electricity from renewable sources. Buildings, which emit 70 percent of Chicago’s carbon dioxide, are the major target of the Climate Action Plan. Chicago’s city hall already has a green roof, designed as a model for as many as six thousand buildings citywide. The city’s Smart Bulb Program has distributed more than half a million free energy-saving to residents.
Several cities have targeted poor neighborhoods with subsidies and grants for the insulation of older homes that often leak heat in winter. Such programs also allow some people to acquire replacements for older, energy-inefficient basic electrical appliances, such as refrigerators, washers, and dryers. Nonprofit groups such as NeighborWorks America have helped to coordinate efforts along this line. Workers with Greenprint Denver, for example, have gone door-to-door in low-income neighborhoods offering energy audits and help with goods and services. Rays of Hope in Austin, Texas, which has grown into a network of related organizations, offers basic services as well as solar panels.
Bibliography
"About the Conference." US Conference of Mayors, 2024, www.usmayors.org/the-conference/about/. Accessed 24 July 2024.
El Nasser, Haya. “’Green’ Efforts Embrace Poor.” USA Today, November 24, 2008, 3A.
Faiola, Anthony, and Robin Shulman. “Cities Take Lead on Environment as Debate Drags at Federal Level.” The Washington Post, June 9, 2007, A1.
Gore, Christopher, and Pamela Robinson. “Local Government Response to Climate Change: Our Last, Best Hope?” In Changing Climates in North American Politics: Institutions, Policymaking, and Multilevel Governance, edited by Henrik Selin and Stacy D. VanDeveer. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2009.
"2024 US Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Award." City of Palo Alto, 20 June 2024, www.cityofpaloalto.org/News-Articles/Public-Works/Conference-of-Mayors-Climate-Protection-Award. Accessed 24 July 2024.