09

Solar Santa Monica, CA

The Achievement

The City of Santa Monica's Community Energy Independence Initiative establishes a net zero energy city goal by 2020 -- meaning that through maximizing energy efficiency and solar in every building in the community it is possible to produce as much electricity as is consumed. Solar Santa Monica provides free-of-charge energy efficiency and solar assessments for residential and commercial property owners and pre-qualified contractors. The program simplifies and streamlines the solar purchasing process by evaluating competing contractor bids, helping the property owner to understand his or her options and make the most cost-effective and beneficial choice. The program also works to educate the community through hands-on workshops covering many energy and solar topics, participation in community events, and partnerships with schools, affordable housing providers, community colleges and other nonprofits.

The Finale to a Year of Climate Progress

It’s December 2009, and we’ve seen a year of unprecedented progress on climate action from all levels. At the local level we’ve seen continued progress as evidenced in ICLEI’s new report, Measuring Up, and our membership growing at a rapid pace. At the state level we’ve seen similar momentum, at the federal level we’ve seen serious proposals from both Houses of Congress with many important opportunities for local governments (see our comparative analysis of federal legislation). And at the international level we are witnessing progress toward a global agreement on climate change.

Much work has been leading up to the 15th annual Conference of the Parties or “COP15” in Copenhagen ( see our COP 15 Briefing Book). On the first day in Copenhagen we saw the EPA release its “endangerment finding,” declaring GHGs pose an endangerment to public health and welfare – a necessary first step toward the EPA regulating GHGs under the Clean Air Act. This EPA announcement provides added momentum to a very serious minded President Obama who is planning to attend the final days of the Conference in Copenhagen with US commitments that are in line with the climate bill that passed out of the House (see our analysis of the House bill). For a 101 on what all this federal climate policy means for local governments, please see this recording of ICLEI’s webinar.

ICLEI is attending COP15 in full force (see how to track our updates). We are advocating for a strong agreement that will empower local governments as essential actors in the global challenge we face. Local governments are climate policy power centers – and therefore ICLEI has been working hard to ensure that localities are included in the text of the next international treaty that will define the international climate action playing field after the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.

ICLEI is a recognized and trusted central local government voice within the international community. We have been facilitating the local government presence at international climate conferences and negotiations since 1995 – and continue to be the focal point – this year alone we worked to credential over 1,200 individuals to attend the Conference in Copenhagen.

ICLEI has been working strategically at the national and international level for years to ensure that local governments are included in the successor to the Kyoto Protocol. The main points local governments and ICLEI are concerned with in the next international treaty are:

The Shared Vision
Must include a specific reference that Parties will seek the active participation of all stakeholders, be they governmental, including subnational and local government, private business or civil society, including the youth and addressing the need for gender equity.

Adaptation
Enhanced action on adaptation and its means of implementation must be undertaken at all levels of government, including local.

Mitigation
Local and sub-national governments are (governmental) key stakeholders for enhanced action on mitigation, both in developed and developing countries. The Copenhagen outcome or subsequent agreement must recognize the role of local and sub-national governments.

Finance
International mechanisms of financial support, both public and private, must allow enabling environments for investment to support adaptation, mitigation, technology transfer, capacity building at local and sub-national level in developing countries.

Technology Transfer and Capacity Building

• Technology Transfer - Enhanced action on technology by Parties should be guided by the principle of seeking the broad participation of stakeholders at national, local and community levels.
• Capacity-Building - Local governments in developing countries require funded enhanced action on capacity-building though appropriate means.

We will keep you up to date with our people on the ground in Copenhagen, which includes ICLEI USA staff and ICLEI Global staff from all over the world and a delegation of ICLEI USA local elected officials who will be landing in Europe next week to take the message from the front lines of climate action in the US to the world:

“Locals are leading the way – and looking for strong federal and international partners to achieve swift, strong, complementary and collaborative action to set and achieve the emissions reduction targets called for by scientists.”

ICLEI's Day 3 Download From Copenhagen

Gino Van Begin, ICLEI Deputy Secretary General provides a daily report from COP15, the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.