Fighting Global Warming

at the Local Level

The need for local action is compelling!
With the Bush Administration stonewalling meaningful actions to tackle global warming and Congress stalled in prolonged gridlock, local communities across the country are now leading an exciting and promising campaign to halt global warming.

To date, 243 mayors, representing more than 45.6 million Americans, have signed the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. By signing the agreement, the mayors commit their cities to –

• strive to meet or beat, at the local level, the greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 7% below 1990 levels by 2112 established for the U.S. in the Kyoto Protocol
• press state and federal officials to meet or beat the same emissions reduction targets
• implement a national emissions trading system

Ohio communities slow to act!
Only 3 current mayors of Ohio cities – Tom Longo (Garfield Hts.), Kenneth Patton (Brooklyn) and Rhine McLin (Dayton) – have signed the agreement. Grassroots action can make that number jump quickly!

We urge you to write, call or meet with your mayor, city councils, and/or county commissioners to urge them to adopt the provisions of the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. Symbolic gestures won’t help. We need communities to get serious about greenhouse emissions cuts.

Why Local Governments Should Act
Global warming is the greatest crisis facing humanity. We have a shrinking window of opportunity to make substantial cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. Although America has less than 5% of the world’s population and produces 25% of harmful greenhouse gases, the federal government rejected the Kyoto Protocol – ratified by 141 other nations -- and has still adopted no measure for mandatory limits on greenhouse gas emissions. As more cities take steps to cut local emissions, it builds much-needed pressure for federal action.

In addition, cities that cut greenhouse gas emissions, see real benefits at the local level:

• saving taxpayer dollars through lower utility and fuel bills resulting from investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy
• improving air quality and public health from less global warming pollution
• energizing the local economy with new jobs resulting from investments in locally produced energy products and services

This is just a thumbnail sketch of the local initiatives underway to fight global warming around the country.  Environmental Health Watch urges the public to get more information from the websites listed below and then work to get Northeast Ohio communities to act.  We’ll track progress on the GreenCityBlueLake website at <greencitybluelake.org>. Please let us know which community you will contact and report results by e-mail at <climate@greencitybluelake.org>. Thanks.

Key Links

• www.ci.seattle.wa.us/mayor/climate/
  Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels is a leader in moving cities forward. This site has good information and links.
• www.coolcities.us
  a Sierra Club project to help activists and local elected officials
• www.iclei.org
  An international campaign with more than 650 cities pledging to cut emissions.
• www.stopglobalwarming.org
  A site with opportunities for individual actions, current information, and helpful links

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