The inaugural City Climate Leadership Awards Ceremony and Conference, hosted by the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group and Siemens in London this past fall, recognized ten cities from around the world that have excelled in addressing climate change. Five award categories were open exclusively to C40 cities: Urban Transportation, Green Energy, Carbon Measurement and Planning, Waste Management, Finance & Economic Development, and Sustainable Communities. The remaining categories of Adaptation & Resilience, Air Quality, Energy Efficient Built Environment, and Intelligent City Infrastructure, were opened up to cities in the Green City Index, a research project conducted by Siemens and the Economist Intelligence Unit. Here are a few of this year’s winning cities:
Green Energy
Collaborating with the city-owned utility company Stadtwerke Munchen (SWM), Munich aims to produce enough green electricity for the entire city by 2025 (at least 7.5 billion kilowatt hours per year), which would make it the first city in the world with a population exceeding one million residents to operate completely on renewable power. SWM established a budget of €9 billion to achieve Munich’s goal and has focused on cost-efficient, sustainable projects. For example, SWM has built 5 wind power plants so far, which help generate about 100 kWh of green electricity per year. By 2015, over 80% of green electricity will be generated by these wind parks.
Energy Efficient Built Environment
Melbourne: Sustainable Buildings Program
Melbourne’s Sustainable Buildings Program supports building owners and managers to improve the city’s commercial buildings’ energy and water efficiency and to reduce their landfill waste. The city hopes to eliminate 383,000 tons of CO2 through this initiative.
Adaptation and Resilience
New York City: A Stronger, More Resilient New York
In just one year, immediately after the detrimental effects of Hurricane Sandy, NYC has initiated 250 projects to protect the coastline, strengthen the city’s buildings, and support other vital systems (transportation, telecommunications, healthcare). According to current estimates, NYC will be able to prevent economic losses of more than $22 billion by 2050.
Waste Management
San Francisco: Zero Waste Program
San Francisco implemented its Zero Waste Program to move towards the city’s goal of eliminating waste by 2020. The city enforced strict waste reduction policies and introduced new waste management programs. These efforts have paid off; within the past ten years, San Francisco’s recycling rate has increased to 80 percent.
Urban Transportation
Created in 2000, Bogotá’s bus rapid transit system, TransMilenio, extends 87 kilometers and transports approximately 1.5 million passengers daily and has already significantly reduced carbon emissions by 350,000 tons.
Air Quality
Mexico City has struggled with air quality for decades, but over the last few years the city has implemented a series of initiatives, including a bus rapid transit system and a bike-sharing program, referred to as ProAire, and has reduced its local air pollution, smog haze, and CO2 emissions.
To learn more about these cities and their ground-breaking programs, as well as the application process for 2014, visit the City Climate Leadership Awards website. For additional information about the CityLinks program, visit the CityLinks website, follow us on Twitter at @ICMACityLinks, and join our Climate Preparedness, Adaptation, and Resilience group on the Knowledge Network.
New, Reduced Membership Dues
A new, reduced dues rate is available for CAOs/ACAOs, along with additional discounts for those in smaller communities, has been implemented. Learn more and be sure to join or renew today!
