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| 30.06.2008 | ||
C40 Cities (originally C20 Cities), also known as the Large Cities Climate Leadership Group, is a group of cities committed to the reduction of urban carbon emissions and adapting to climate change. The group believes it has an important rule to play as cities contain around 50% of the world’s population, consume three quarters of the world’s energy, and produce 80% per cent of its greenhouse gas emissions.
In October 2005, representatives of 18 leading world cities met in London to discuss joining forces to tackle global warming and climate change. The representatives saw the need for action and cooperation on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and pledged to work together towards achieving that goal. At the end of the conference, a communiqué was signed which recognised the need for cities to take action and to cooperate on reducing climate emissions. The cities also promised a number of action points, including most notably the creation of procurement policies and alliances to accelerate the uptake of climate-friendly technologies and influence the market place.
In August 2006 the initiative signed a partnership agreement with the William J. Clinton Foundation, headed by former US President Bill Clinton. The Clinton Climate Initiative has agreed to service the C40 by working with cities on carbon-reduction programmes.
On C40 Cities’ website you will find a lot of solutions and best practices concerning different city issues like buildings, energy, lighting, ports, renewables, transport, waste, water. When you click through these points, you will find a lot of examples that we have also reported on (for instance, when it comes to buildings we also reported on Dongtan, China as the world’s first carbon neutral sustainable city).
40 large cities are participating in the C40 including New York, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo. There are also 12 affiliate cities.
The Large Cities Climate Leadership Group held their 2nd summit in New York in 2007. The next conference will be held on 9 - 11 July 2008 in Rotterdam. We are looking forward to the result of the conference.
Do you think this initiative is a good or a bad idea? Why?
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I think this is an imperitive initiative. The earth will no longer be able to sustain human and animal life if we don’t act collectively now. For cities to sustain themselves, they must sustain the planet. While every one of us needs to do our part to sustain the planet, by coming together, sharing ideas and pledging to ourselves and one another, we can move toward sustainable living faster and more effectively. It is time for us to recognize the brotherhood of humanity and work together in peace for the commom good. Thank you all of the C40 cities for taking the initiative to start the healing of our planet!
Cheryl Erickson
greenlifecafe.com
Cheryl Erickson