FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

San Francisco Joins Elite Group of Local Climate Action Champions

ICLEI Presents Mayor Newsom with Milestone Five Climate Protection Award

ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability proudly bestowed the organization’s top climate protection award on the City of San Francisco today. The international award, part of ICLEI’s Five Milestone climate protection process, was presented to Mayor Gavin Newsom at an event where the City released updated emissions inventory data and the day after Newsom signed a landmark green building ordinance. San Francisco is one of only 13 local governments in the U.S. to receive all five climate protection milestones to date, which underscores the city’s ongoing commitment to emissions reductions.

“Today we recognize San Francisco as a true leader and innovator on climate protection and part of an elite group of local governments driving action and inspiring others,” said ICLEI Executive Director Michelle Wyman. “From green building standards to their commitment to recycling and waste reduction, San Francisco illustrates the power local governments have to pro actively address global warming while enhancing the community.”

San Francisco is one of the more than 450 local government members of ICLEI in the U.S. and nearly 1,000 worldwide that have made a commitment to climate protection and embarked on the performance-based Five Milestones. ICLEI tracks members’ progress towards their emissions reductions goals through the following Five Milestones:

1. Conduct a greenhouse gas emissions inventory
2. Set an emissions reduction goal
3. Design a Climate Action Plan
4. Implement the Plan
5. Monitor and Reevaluate progress

Milestone Five, which San Francisco has now reached, highlights the imperative for communities to continue their progress, innovation, and leadership. It requires that local governments monitor and verify progress towards emissions reduction targets through regular emissions analysis, continued implementation of strategic emissions reduction actions, and reporting of progress.

“Milestone Five is a critical step in any city’s climate protection path, as it is an opportunity to both take pride in significant achievements and take a step back to gauge progress and reassess goals and strategies,” said Wyman. “By releasing an updated inventory matched with ambitious emissions reductions measures, San Francisco embodies the performance-based and innovation-driven ICLEI model.”
 
Other local governments who have attained Five Milestone status: Boulder, CO; Burlington, VT; Cambridge, MA; Chula Vista, CA; Denver, CO; Fort Collins, CO; Madison, WI; Miami-Dade, FL; Minneapolis, MN; Olympia, WA; Portland, OR and St. Paul, MN.

ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability is a membership association of local governments, more than 450 in the United States, advancing climate protection and sustainability. Our mission is to build, serve, and drive a movement of local governments to advance deep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and achieve tangible improvements in local sustainability. www.icleiusa.org.

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