U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement
According to the U.S. Conference of Mayors, over a thousand mayors across the United States and Puerto Rico have signed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement (MCPA), committing to take following three actions:
- Strive to meet or beat the Kyoto Protocol targets in their own communities, through actions ranging from anti-sprawl land-use policies to urban forest restoration projects to public information campaigns;
- Urge their state governments, and the federal government, to enact policies and programs to meet or beat the greenhouse gas emission reduction target suggested for the United States in the Kyoto Protocol -- 7% reduction from 1990 levels by 2012; and
- Urge the U.S. Congress to pass the bipartisan greenhouse gas reduction legislation, which would establish a national emission trading system.
ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, with support from the City of Seattle and the U.S. Conference of Mayors, has created “The Climate Action Handbook,” a resource guide for local governments seeking to decrease their greenhouse gas emissions and implement the climate protection commitments stipulated in the MCPA.
Sustainability Officers can refer to the Handbook for short- and long-term climate protection measures taken by governments and communities which are listed by topic area (e.g., land use, transportation, energy efficiency, and community outreach). In addition, for each topic area, the resource guide contains summaries of best practices and a list of useful resources.
Energy efficiency is the process of using less energy to produce the same or increased functions. Often used mistakenly as a synonym for ENERGY CONSERVATION. Greenhouse gases are a part of the Earth's atmosphere and are both naturally occurring and the result of human chemical processes. The most common greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluourocarbons. These gases trap heat and thus contribute to the warming of the planet. See also CFCS and GREENHOUSE EFFECT.The ability or potential of a physical body to do work. The most common forms of energy are heat, light, mechanical (moving parts), and electrical.
