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WORD COUNT
652
APRIL 25, 2007
TOWNS ARE FAR AHEAD
ON CLIMATE CHANGE – by Michele Wyman
First, the scientists
told us that global warming is real and the manmade nature of the
problem undeniable. Then they warned us about the perilous impacts that
we are experiencing now, and will, into the future. Now they are urging
us to do something about it, fast.
Local governments
across the United States are already there, well ahead of Washington.
The Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a body that includes more than 2,500
scientists from 130 countries, is considered the gold standard in
current scientific knowledge of climate change, releases its "Mitigation
and Climate Change" report on May 4. It is expected to call for
significant actions on an accelerated time scale to reduce carbon
emissions. This year's two previous IPCC reports, "The Physical Science
Basis" and "Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability," detailed the science
behind global warming and the impacts we have and will experience. Both
of these launched a media frenzy and have inspired action, but it wasn't
until this moment that attention turned to fixing the problem.
Fortunately, we have
places to turn for ready-made solutions: your City Hall, Town Hall or
County officials. The municipal level is where you'll find the seeds of
a climate revolution bearing fruit.
After all, it was
mayors–-not members of Congress or the administration–-along with
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who were featured in the recent
"Leadership and the Environment" issue of “Newsweek.” Cities, towns and
counties of all stripes –- big and small, red and blue, on the coast and
in the heartland –- have been carrying out local climate action measures
for years, crafting recipes for success that can and must be
complemented by state and federal government action.
Mayors and other
local leaders have quietly and forcefully demonstrated that we can turn
the problems associated with global warming into positive, profitable
solutions. In 2005, for instance, a tally of about 200 cities working on
local climate action implemented reductions of harmful carbon dioxide
emissions totaling 23 million tons and, as a result, city budget savings
of $535 million.
Here are a handful of
examples of how local governments are solving global warming while also
saving money and making our communities safer and healthier places to
live:
Arlington, Tex., has
reduced its existing energy consumption by 26 percent over the past four
years through installing energy-efficient lighting in city buildings,
upgrading the city's vehicle fleets to more fuel-efficient cars and
switching to LED traffic lights. The new lights consume about 80 percent
less energy, last about ten times as long (100,000 hours), and shine
brighter. Miami-Dade County made traffic ticketing paperless to reduce
waste and implemented a phone system for court inquiries that has
eliminated the need for about 1.5 million vehicle miles of travel. In
Chicago, where City Hall first donned a green roof in 2001, there are
more than 1 million square feet of green roofing in various stages of
installation. Albuquerque has an entirely alternative-fuel city vehicle
fleet, and 15 percent of the city's power comes from renewable energy
sources like wind and solar. (More examples at
www.coolmayors.org )
These are positive
and bold steps in the right direction. But what local leaders know, and
the latest IPCC report underscores, is that local governments can't do
it alone. It's going to take all of us –- individuals, businesses, and
governments at every level –- working in concert to ensure we don't
saddle future generations with the burdens of inaction. In recent
months, we have seen the seeds of meaningful climate action take root at
the national level after years of blossoming at the local level.
Americans are rallying behind the promise of a strong federal policy and
swift, immediate actions to curb global warming. We trust that
Washington will recognize the value that local governments can bring to
this challenge. It's time for us all to come together and commit the
country to tackling climate issues in a real, meaningful manner.
--
Michelle Wyman is
executive director, ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability U.S.A.,
an association of more than 250 local governments working on climate
protection. –
www.iclei.org
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