Green leadership matters
Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels is entitled to bask in the solar-powered glory of the national Mayors Climate Protection Summit he is hosting. He is part of the reason city halls across America are thinking green.
Two years ago, he embarked on a lonely mission to enlist the support of local governments to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. Leadership was not coming out of the other Washington. He took his message to the U.S. Conference of Mayors in June 2005 with a plan to build national and state support by demonstrating the political strength of climate-change efforts very close to home.
At last count, Nickels has attracted commitments from mayors in more than 650 cities and towns all over the country. They sign a pledge to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 7 percent below 1990 levels by 2012.
Nothing burnishes good intentions better than leading by example. Seattle cut its overall emissions by 8 percent between 1990 and 2005, according to a report released by the city this week.
Seattle households and businesses led the way with energy conservation, and by swapping fuel oil for natural gas. Seattle City Light changed its power mix to produce no net gain in carbon emissions. All the bits and pieces added up, including idled production at a Seattle cement plant.
Nickels enjoyed the support of the Seattle City Council and he leads a community that is sympathetic to doing its part to combat global warming. This is the same city that embraced calls to reduce water use in drought years, and kept the spigots off. Water consumption is at 1975 levels despite 25 percent population growth.
Success in reducing carbon emissions - and embracing the challenge to sustain the progress - comes with an important lesson. Lower levels do not mean dramatic challenges in lifestyle or the economy. The workable mantra is measure, reduce and offset.
Another lesson was neatly summarized by Gordon Campbell, premier of British Columbia, at a recent meeting of regional leaders in Vancouver: “You don’t have to wait for government; you can do it yourself.”
The creativity and commitment of ordinary citizens will drive the response to climate change, but the importance of green leadership - early and outspoken - is invaluable. Mayor Nickels provided it for others to stand behind.