Mayors gather for climate change summit

San Francisco, Seattle have action plans
Last year, San Francisco was perhaps the first U.S. city to adopt its own "climate action plan" that seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions — to 20 percent lower than 1990 levels by 2012 — by increasing public transportation use, recycling rates, renewable power and energy efficiency.

In May, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, worried about dry winters in his famously wet city, announced that more than 130 U.S. mayors have signed an agreement to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by meeting or beating the Kyoto targets.

"The mayors, the corporations and even the governor of California are starting to show global leadership in the face of a vacuum," said Kathleen Rogers, president of Earth Day Network. "It's the new trend, and it's out of pure desperation."

Now, mayors from around the world are joining America's city leaders to fight global warming and other environmental problems. By signing the Urban Environmental Accords, the mayors will pledge their commitment to eco-friendly urban development in seven areas: energy, environmental health, transportation, urban design, urban nature, waste reduction and water.

Mayors more in tune?
Organizers say global environmental problems must be addressed on the municipal level because half the world's population now live in cities — a proportion that's projected to rise dramatically this century. And cities consume about three-quarters of the world's resources while producing three-quarters of the world's pollution.

"Unlike the federal governments that seem to find a lot of wiggle room in treaties, mayors are much more responsible to their constituents," Rogers said. "Mayors are much more in tune with what people want."

The accords spell out 21 specific actions mayors can take to make their cities greener, and signers promise to annually adopt at least three new policies, many of which involve economic incentives or legislation. In the energy arena, for instance, cities can adopt policies to increase use of renewable power, boost energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions — actions that can help cities save money and clean up the environment.

"It's a real roll-up-your-sleeves approach," said Susan Ode, outreach coordinator for Local Governments for Sustainability. "They're actions that truly will help and can be implemented by local governments and communities."

While the accords are not legally binding, organizers hope that community activists will hold the mayors to their promises once they return home.

"I hope that at the end of the day we're not just signing a piece of paper," Newsom said, "but making real commitments to take real action."

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