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Mayor Miro Weinberger Statement on Paris Climate Agreement, Announces City of Burlington Joins Compact of Mayors

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 16, 2015
Contact:  Jennifer Kaulius
                 802.324.2505

Mayor Miro Weinberger Statement on Paris Climate Agreement
City One of Nearly 400 Communities from Around the World
to Join Compact of Mayors Announced in Paris

“I applaud the consensus world leaders reached last week at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Paris, France in addressing this global challenge directly and setting achievable targets to move away from carbon-based fuels. Burlington is proud to be one of the nearly 400 cities committed to playing a role in ensuring that the landmark Paris agreement results in progress against climate change. Burlington has signed on to the Compact of Mayors, a global coalition of cities dedicated to reducing carbon emissions and making their communities more resilient to climate change. The actions we take at a local level are part of a larger collective effort that will have global impact and create a better world for future generations.”

Burlington has long been committed to reducing locally produced greenhouse gases. The City adopted its first Climate Action Plan in 2000. The original plan, including 39 key strategies, was updated and ratified in 2014. With the September 2014 purchase of the Winooski One hydroelectric facility, Burlington became the first city in the country to source 100 percent of its electric needs from renewable means. In April, Burlington was recognized as a 4-STAR community by the STAR Community Rating System, the nation’s first framework and certification program for local sustainability, due in part to our work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. By signing on to the Compact of Mayors, the City of Burlington further demonstrates its ongoing commitment to track greenhouse gas emissions, advance projects that reduce carbon emissions, regularly report progress publicly, and make Burlington more resilient to climate change in the years ahead.

As one of the key initiatives launched at the United Nations Climate Summit in September of 2014, the Compact of Mayors is the world’s largest collective effort to date by cities to tackle climate change, proactively prepare for its impacts, and regularly track and report progress. The Compact was activated under the leadership of the global city networks—C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40), ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), and the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG)—and with support from UN-Habitat, the UN’s lead agency on urban issues. 396 cities committed to the Compact ahead of COP21, and the collective impact of these commitments will deliver over half of the world’s potential urban emissions reductions by 2020.

For more information and  a full list of Compact cities, including Burlington and Montpelier, please visit: http://www.compactofmayors.org/cities/.

 

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Press Release Date: 
12/16/2015
City Department: 
Mayor's Office