Global Warming

Once considered only an international issue, carbon elimination has now become a cause of cities and states. 

In July 2001, Seattle Mayor Paul Schell and four members of the City Council announced support for the Kyoto Protocol and called on other local governments to adopt policies to combat global warming.  The Seattle City Council voted on resolutions supporting the goals of the Kyoto Protocol and committing Seattle City Light -- the city's public electric utility -- to a policy of zero net greenhouse gas emissions.

"Every city and every individual can take steps to reduce global warming," Schell said. "Cities are where most emissions occur -- and where the solutions must begin. We can't afford to wait for the federal government to do this."

Resolution Number 30316 adopts the Kyoto goal of a 7 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. But Seattle thinks it can do better, perhaps even tripling that reduction by 2010. The city will calculate the total greenhouse gas emissions produced by city operations before determining a more specific reduction goal.

Resolution Number 30359 formalizes Seattle City Light's commitment to become the first major utility in the country to achieve zero net greenhouse-gas emissions.

Related:  Global warming is getting a closer look in Miami-Dade County,  where the county clerk and the assistant director of the County’s Environmental Agency are doing their part. They co-chair the Miami-Dade County Climate Change Adaptation Task Force.

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