COP25 was a notable failure. The US and other Denialist-led countries prevented meaningful official action. But it was great for 3,800 mayors, county executives, tribal leaders and businesses that account for more than half of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.
CHEERS to taking climate matters into your own hands. The Paris Climate Accord was/is never going to solve the climate crisis all on its own. But it's at least a formal worldwide recognition that we're rapidly destroying our home planet and need to do something about it. So when Republicans in the federal government chose to tell future generations to go to hell by pulling out of the accord and throwing their support behind greenhouse gases and acidic oceans, America's towns called bullshit and continued the mission.
Bill in Portland Maine, Cheers and Jeers: Thursday
In July 2017, former New York City Mayor and United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Climate Action Michael R. Bloomberg and then-California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr., launched an initiative known as America’s Pledge.
Now their time—our time—has come. You may not feel that you have a big impact on the Federal Government by yourself, but you can certainly educate your local government and party officials.
In wake of Trump's withdrawal from Paris climate accord, small-town USA says 'we are still in'
ACCELERATING AMERICA’S PLEDGE, GOING ALL-IN TO BUILD A PROSPEROUS, LOW-CARBON ECONOMY FOR THE UNITED STATES:
An unprecedented coalition of U.S. states, cities, businesses, communities of faith, universities, health care and cultural institutions, and other organizations are now acting to fulfill America’s climate pledge to the world. This commitment is reflected in the large number of American actors continuing to back the Paris Agreement, including members of the We Are Still In network, U.S. Climate Alliance, Climate Mayors, We Mean Business, and many others.
A lot of these actions are what we would consider to be no-brainers, but they still aren't happening enough. Mayors and city councils need to hear that these things are happening, that they are working, and that they are saving money, not just the world.
- Electric vehicles for government. A lot of mayors are still stuck with ideas of hybrids and biofuels.
- Solar panels on school and public building roofs.
- Public chargers integrated with parking meters.
- More and better mass transit.
- Green building codes and zoning.
- Land use policies for capturing carbon.
A new report released Monday by America’s Pledge, a climate-focused research initiative launched in 2017, found that the actions of cities, states and businesses can add up. […]
The report found that the We Are Still In coalition, a group of 3,800 mayors, county executives, tribal leaders and businesses that account for more than half of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, could reduce emissions 25 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 with climate policies that are already in place. […] The budding coalition represents a grassroots approach to climate policy that experts say could be crucial to keeping the country’s Paris accord pledges within reach. And it has some bipartisan support. […]
The America’s Pledge report also noted that in the event that the 2020 election results in an administration that supports ambitious climate action, that number could jump to a 49 percent reduction below 2005 levels by 2030.
Now you're talking.
We will come back and get into specific policies and projects in future Renewable Day with a Y in It Diaries.
Links
Get updates on how U.S. cities, states, and businesses are advancing our climate goals.
Previous America's Pledge reports
President Trump Wants Out - We Are Still In
We Are Still In is a coalition of cities, states, tribes, businesses, universities, healthcare organizations, and faith groups. As they did in 2017, they strongly oppose the US withdrawal from Paris, and are not going to take a retreat from the global response to the climate crisis lying down.
We Are Still In Signatory Search
We need lots more cities, health organizations, businesses, and so on to join in. There are plenty of local people you can call up and talk to. Get your civic organizations interested. The classic 19th century Civic Booster agitated for libraries, concert halls, railroad connections, and so on. Be a Modern Booster. I have been talking to my friends on the city council and so on about the electric school bus we are testing, and the electric police car in a neighboring town, and solar panels on school roofs.