U.S. House Calls for Near-Zero GHG Emissions by 2050
November 30, U.S. Congressional Progressive Caucus introduced a House Resolution calling for near-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, generating 50% of the country’s electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and transitioning to 100% renewable energy by 2050.
Local Climate Leaders Circle Delegation Makes an Impact
ICLEI co-hosted a delegation of mayors and local officials called the Local Climate Leaders Circle for one week in Paris, and hardly a moment was lost. From panels to summits to bilateral meetings; with Senators, Cabinet officials, and mayors from around the world; in the “Blue Zone” to City Hall and everywhere in between – the Leaders Circle represented US local governments admirably, and the partners ICLEI, NLC, WWF, and USGBC could not be prouder. In the end, the US boasted the largest delegation of local officials of any of the almost 200 nations in Paris, and they made their voices heard.
What’s at Stake in the COP Negotiations
The 21st Conference of Parties represents the biggest opportunity for agreeing on an international climate framework in many years. After years of preparations, it is almost certain that some agreement will be reached – but the strength of the agreement is an open question. Local officials have a key role to play in showcasing solutions and inspiring and advocating for an ambitious approach.
Clean Technology for a Clean Environment
ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability and Shenzhen Low-Carbon Development Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the 21st annual meeting of Conference of Parties (COP) in Paris. The climate collaborative agreement stems off of the Parties shared and firm belief that a clean environment and a strong economy can co-exist, and clean energy technology is one of the key paths to ensuring a clean environment and a prosperous future.
U.S. Transformative Action Projects on Stage at COP21
Today in Paris, four transformative U.S. climate projects took stage at COP21. Moderated by ICLEI USA Efficiency and Renewables Director, Angie Fyfe, the panel included Boulder Colorado’s resilience project and three California projects: transport in Santa Monica, Community Choice Aggregation of renewables in Richmond, and carbon sequestration in San Francisco.
“On the ClearPath” Interview with Aspen, CO
We continue our blog series with Aspen, CO, a long standing climate leader and forward thinking community. We sat down “virtually” with Chris Menges, Data Research & Project Planner for the City’s Canary Initiative to learn more about the City’s climate and sustainability goals as well as his experience with ClearPath.
Leading by Example with Sustainable Procurement at COP21
ICLEI USA is pleased to announce that Denver is the first U.S. city to join the Global Lead City Network on Sustainable Procurement. Congratulations to Mayor Michael Hancock and his team for their leadership in linking up with Seoul, Cape Town, Auckland, Rotterdam, and others and their acknowledgement that good procurement takes into account social, environmental, and economic impacts.
Climate and Sustainability Funding Opportunities
Cities and counties working on sustainability and climate action often cannot find the resources to implement great projects. ICLEI members, including Austin, Baltimore, Blacksburg, Chula Vista, Cleveland, Dubuque, Madison, Missoula, and New Orleans, have found a useful source of funding in Partners for Places. Partners for Places is a successful matching grant program that […]
Defending the Clean Power Plan
On November 5th, ICLEI’s Local Climate Leaders Circle – a delegation of U.S. local elected officials who will travel with ICLEI USA to COP21 in Paris – issued a letter to EPA Administrator, Gina McCarthy to underscore the importance of the Clean Power Plan to an international climate agreement. A delay in implementing the Clean Power Plan will considerably undermine the ability of the U.S. to negotiate with other countries for a meaningful agreement in Paris.
100% Renewable…can it be done?
ICLEI is proud to announce our Global 100% renewable energy cities and regions network!