How Boston is Building a Coalition of Climate Leaders
Boston has long been strong on climate, and ahead of the upcoming Paris climate talks, the city hopes to cement its place as one of America’s climate leaders. To this end, the city called upon sustainability directors from 19 cities around the world to help develop an aggressive climate action plan to push forward UN climate negotiations.
Boston has already implemented a number of climate policies that provide a model for addressing climate change. The city has slashed greenhouse gas emissions, put in place money-saving energy efficiency schemes, and implemented a vast bike-share program with a sprawling network of new bike lanes. These policies have helped save the city money, improved living standards, and helped to develop much needed green transportation opportunities.
These initiatives were the product of active community leaders, residents, and city officials. Through this collaborative effort, the city has been able to enlist academics, non-profits, and businesses in an effort to implement climate solutions across all sectors. Boston is one in a network of 40 cities worldwide that are seeking to solve the global climate crisis through local climate action. And so far the results are positive. To learn more about how your city can be part of the solution, check out the Path to Positive Communities.
Boston rolls up its sleeves for action on climate change
By Martin J. Walsh and Amos B. Hostetter | Boston Globe | October 5, 2015
Boston has long been a leader on climate action — and ahead of the United Nations’ climate talks later this year, we’re gearing up to advance that role further. This week, the City of Boston and the Boston Green Ribbon Commission are hosting a delegation of urban sustainability directors from 19 large cities around the world to share policies and practices to help inform the next round of international climate negotiations in Paris in December.
Since the adoption of Boston’s executive order on climate change in 2007, city officials and the business community have taken action to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for the unavoidable impacts of climate change. Our work has included such achievements as: saving the city $1.4 million annually through energy efficiency opportunities, strengthening our buildings’ green standards, creating more than 90 miles of bike lanes, rapidly expanding our bike-share program to include more than 12,000 members, and gathering data on building energy usage so we can make smart choices in achieving our greenhouse gas emissions-reduction targets.