HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 04-29-2003-5
Cities for Climate Protection
Background Information (from www.iclei.org)
The International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) is an international
association of local governments implementing sustainable development. Its mission is to build and
serve a worldwide movement of local governments to achieve tangible improvements in global
envirorunental and sustainable development conditions through cumulative local actions. Building a
worldwide movement requires that ICLEI functions as a democratic, international association of
local goverrunents. Serving a worldwide movement requires that ICLEI operates as an international
environmental agency for local governments
Cities for Climate Protection is a global campaign of the International Council for Local
Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI). More than 500 local governments worldwide participate in the
Campaign, including over 140 cities and counties in the United States.
The Cities for Climate Protection Campaign goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting
from the burning of fossil fuels and other huunan activities. These emissions are contributing to
global warming and air pollution. Actions that reduce these emissions not only protect the global
climate but also improve the quality of life in our communities.
Emissions reduction efforts focus on two primary greenhouse gases: CO2 and methane. CO2 is
released when fossil fuels -- oil, coal and natural gas -- are burned to power our cars, produce
electricity or heat our buildings. Methane is emitted in urban areas when garbage and waste
products decompose, primarily in landfills. There is widespread scientific agreement that the
increasing quantity of these gases in the atmosphere is causing worldwide temperatures to rise and
increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather events. The accumulation of these
greenhouse gases is a major threat to the climate stability of the Earth.
Local governments play a key role because they directly influence and control many of the activities
that produce these emissions. Decisions about land use and development, investments in public
transit, energy-efficient building codes, waste reduction and recycling programs all affect local air
quality and living standards as well as the global climate. The CCP Campaign is an opportunity for
cities and counties to take practical steps which reduce greenhouse gas emissions and generate
multiple benefits for their communities
Climate Chan;e and Local Goverramen~s
There is growing global consensus among the world's scientists, national governments, and many
business leaders that the rising accumulation of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere is
impacting the global climate.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a group of over 2,500 of the world's
climate scientists, is predicting that these impacts may include:
• elevated global average temperatures with a resulting disruption of natural systems
• changes in precipitation rates in many regions impacting on water supply and food
production
• increase in the incidence and intensity of extreme weather events, such as floods, blizzards,
tornadoes, and droughts
• rise in sea level impacting on coastal areas and low-lying regions
Impact on Local C~nvernments
Scientists also anticipate climate change to detrimentally affect cities and urban areas. Regional
temperature rises will foster more smog. Changes in precipitation will adversely affect urban water
supplies. An increase in extreme weather events will cause damage to urban infrastructure; and sea
level rise will eventually inundate infrastructure and settlements in many coastal cities. Local
governments, therefore, have plenty of reason to act to avoid the long-term local risks of climate
change. They also have plenty of reason to act to realize the multiple benefits of cleaner and more
efficient energy, including improved local air quality.
Role of Local Governments
Local governments, through their leadership and decision-making powers directly influence and control
many of the activities that produce the emissions that cause global warming and air pollution. Local
governments own, operate, or influence:
• local government facilities and operations such as municipal buildings, street lighting,
recreation facilities, wastewater treatment plants
• building codes and permits that determine the energy efficiency of residential and commercial
buildings
• landfill sites and the production of methane emissions
• waste collection and management including recycling, compost or waste reduction programs
• land use planning and development that determine the density, mixture and physical layout of
buildings, neighborhoods and communities
• transportation infrastructure that determines the transportation choices of residents and
businesses, affecting the level and type of transportation energy consumed and the number and
length of vehicle trips
• public works infrastructure such as water supply, sewage, and other public works
If there is to be success in addressing the issue of climate change, then the reduction of GHG emissions
must also be addressed at the local level. Most of the measures utilized by local governments to reduce
GHG emissions also address concerns that dominate most municipal agendas. The Cites for Climate
ProtectionTM (CCP) Campaign methodology results in local governments choosing GHG emissions
reduction measures that bring such co-benefits as:
financial savings through energy and fuel efficiency
green space preservation
local economic development and job creation through the demand for energy efficiency and
new energy systems
air pollution reduction
traffic congestion improvements
• community livability improvement