Jun 24 2008
A resolution being introduced in City Council tomorrow is designed to generate a 20-percent reduction in Pittsburgh's greenhouse gas emissions by 2023.
To achieve its goal, the resolution contains a Climate Action Plan, which details specific actions municipal government should take while endorsing a series of recommendations for community organizations, businesses and institutions of higher education.
The resolution and its Climate Action Plan were developed by the Green Government Task Force (GGTF), a coalition of local, state and federal officials as well as representatives from businesses, universities, foundations and non-profit organizations. Co-chairs of the GGTF are Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, Pittsburgh City Councilman Bill Peduto and Pennsylvania State Senator Jim Ferlo. Rebecca Flora, executive director of the Green Building Alliance, first convened the group two years ago and serves as its facilitator.
"Our goal in reducing Pittsburgh's greenhouse gases is to continue Pittsburgh's leadership in green innovation and solutions," Flora said. "Pittsburgh's actions to combat climate change will position the city to achieve economic and health benefits while reducing our impact on the natural environment that we greatly value in Western Pennsylvania."
In addition to developing the Climate Action Plan for Pittsburgh, the GGTF has created the Pittsburgh Climate Initiative, a collaborative project of the Green Building Alliance that will assist all sectors and their subcommittees in the implementation of the Climate Action Plan's recommended actions and ongoing monitoring of progress.
Pittsburgh's Climate Action Plan follows a model established by ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability, a membership organization serving communities worldwide. The City of Pittsburgh became a member of ICLEI in 2006. Additionally, Clean Air-Cool Planet (CA-CP), a non-profit based in Portsmouth, N.H., has partnered with GBA to provide technical assistance in the development of the Climate Action Plan.
According to Adam Markham, chief executive officer of CA-CP, its decision to focus on Pittsburgh was driven by Pennsylvania's role in greenhouse gas emissions. "The United States is one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases in the world, and Pennsylvania ranks third nationally," Markham said.
A student research team from Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz School, led by Flora, conducted an emissions inventory in the fall of 2006 as part of the ICLEI model and established 2003 as the baseline year for Pittsburgh upon which all future reductions will be measured against.
Flora originally approached Mayor Bob O'Connor about participating in the ICLEI program in 2006. Upon O'Connor's death in September of 2006, Mayor Ravenstahl quickly continued the city's participation in the program, committing his top staff to serve on the GGTF.
"Pittsburgh has a well-earned reputation for environmental leadership, and our decision to reduce greenhouse gas emissions locally sends a powerful message globally that we are committed to being good stewards of our natural resources," Mayor Ravenstahl said. "The fact the GGTF enjoys broad support, from all levels of government and from a wide variety of institutions and individuals, is proof that reducing greenhouse gases and their impact on climate change is worthy of our city's support."
"The creation of the Action Plan exemplifies our desire to create an inclusive process unlike any other in the nation; it is putting Pittsburgh on the map," Councilman Peduto said. "By introducing the Action Plan into City Council, we are raising awareness of climate change in both the community and city government."
Sometimes referred to as global warming, climate change is the process by which human emissions of greenhouse gases are changing the Earth's climate system. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the National Academies of Science, warming the past several decades is likely the result of human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels, industrial and agricultural processes and the decomposition from municipal landfills, which release greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.