ESSEX:
The Board of Selectmen, acting with the support of the local group Essex Citizens for Clean Energy, recently approved a resolution to join ICLEI–International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives–and its program Local Governments for Sustainability.
The objective is to reduce municipal, business, and residential greenhouse gas and air pollution emissions throughout the community.
ICLEI is a membership association of local governments–350 in the United States, 1,000 worldwide–committed to advancing climate protection and sustainable development, First Selectman Philip Miller said when proposing the resolution. He noted that the state is required to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 10 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and to 80 percent below 2001 levels by 2050.
In part the resolution reads: “Energy consumption, specifically the burning of fossil fuels, accounts for more than 80 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions…Local government actions taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase energy efficiency provide multiple local benefits by decreasing air pollution, creating jobs, reducing energy expenditures, and saving money for the local government, its business and its residents.”
With the unanimous approval of the resolution by the selectmen, the town has now joined ICLEI and become a partner in that organization’s Cities and Counties Climate Protection Program. The town has now agreed to take a leadership role in promoting public awareness about the causes and impacts of climate change.
The town has also agreed to undertake ICLEI’s “five milestones” to reduce both greenhouse gas and air pollution emissions throughout the community, specifically to:
Conduct a greenhouse gas emissions inventory and forecast to determine the source and quantity of greenhouse gas emissions in town
Establish a greenhouse gas emissions reduction target
Develop an action plan with both existing and future actions that, when implemented, will meet the local greenhouse gas reduction target
Implement the action plan, and
Monitor and report progress.
Miller said what is needed next is a group of Essex citizens to plan, implement, monitor, and sustain the program to achieve these goals. Citizens interested in learning more may contact Miller at pmiller@essexct.gov, Essex Citizens for Clean Energy at info@essexcitizensforcleanenergy.com, or visit www.iclei-usa.org/about-iclei.