June 11th, 2010
Chicago has an ambitious green roofs program.
From Green Right Reports
Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and North Little Rock, Ark., Mayor Patrick Henry Hays have been selected to receive the 2010 Mayors’ Climate Protection Awards, a program sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
The award, announced today a the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in Oklahoma City, recognizes mayors for innovative practices in their cities designed to increase energy efficiency and curb global warming. An independent panel of judges selected the winners from a pool of 140 applicants.
“These leading mayors are great examples of local leaders taking action to help our cities become climate friendly,” Conference President Burnsville (Minn.) Mayor Elizabeth B. Kautz said in a statement. “Mayor Daley’s Climate Action Plan offers strategies that can be used by all cities striving to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change, while Mayor Hays’s Think Global, Act Local Strategy is the perfect example of local climate action that can provide economic and quality of life improvements and job creation.”
Chicago’s Climate Action Plan is a blueprint to a more sustainable future that partners with foundations, nationally recognized researchers, non-profit organizations, community and environmental groups, and corporate partners. Launched in 2008, the CCAP is a roadmap of five strategies with 35 actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and adapt to climate change. CCAP’s ultimate goal is to achieve an 80 percent reduction below 1990 GHG emission levels by 2050, with a midterm goal of a 25 percent reduction below 1990 levels by 2020.
“In Chicago, the environment is a major component of our strategy to attract people and jobs, remain competitive into the future, and improve the quality of life for all our residents,” Mayor Daley said in a statement. “I’m proud of the environmental leadership example that Chicago has set and that is being replicated by cities here and around the world. I am confident that if we address the climate change challenge together, with creativity and boldness, then we can lead the world in designing a path to a more secure future.”
Beginning in 1990, North Little Rock’s strategy of “think global, act local” and its belief that sustainable climate change initiatives must logically begin at the individual citizen level has resulted in substantial greenhouse gas reductions, quality of life improvements, and job creation.
Honorable Mentions were awarded to five large cities and five small cities. Large City Honorable Mentions went to Anaheim, Calif; Dallas; Frisco, Texas; New York City and San Francisco.
Small City Honorable Mentions went to Burlington, Vt.; Denton, Texas; Evanston, Ill.; Lake Oswego, Ore. and Lauderhill, Fla.