Agenda - 04-29-2003-5 - Laserfiche WebLink

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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