Foxx signs mayors’ pact on climate (Charlotte Observer)
Agreement first drafted by McCrory in ’05, but City Council approved alternate resolution.
New Mayor Anthony Foxx has added Charlotte to a long list of U.S. cities committed to taking action on climate change.
Foxx on Thursday signed a U.S. Conference of Mayors climate-protection agreement that his predecessor, Pat McCrory, helped draft in 2005 but himself refused to endorse. McCrory led the mayors’ committee that drafted the agreement, but faulted it for not including nuclear power among possible solutions.
The City Council instead approved an alternative resolution in 2007.
Foxx noted that signing the mayors’ agreement now is largely symbolic since Charlotte is already doing much of what the document requires. But, he added, “we cannot afford to sit on the sidelines.”
The Sierra Club’s Cool Cities Campaign has pushed Charlotte to join the 48 N.C. communities that have already signed the agreement. Josh Thomas, chair of the Central Piedmont group, called Foxx’s signing a “strong statement” to protect the city and its resources.
The agreement, already adopted by more than 1,000 U.S. cities and towns, commits Charlotte to curbing emissions of greenhouse gases. The overarching goal is a 7 percent reduction from 1990 levels by 2012.
Charlotte’s recently completed inventory of greenhouse gas emissions, its light-rail system and new sustainable-facility policy are steps in that direction, said local Sierra Club members.
Charlotte is also applying for $6.5million in federal stimulus grants to pay for 18 energy-saving projects. Among them are retrofits of low-income housing and commercial buildings to make them more energy efficient and the purchase of several electric vehicles for city staff.
Read the agreement at www. usmayors.org/ climate pro tection/ agreement.htm .
By Bruce Henderson
bhenderson@charlotteobserver.com
Posted: Friday, Dec. 18, 2009
