By Kevin McCarty
April 25, 2011

New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and former President Bill Clinton announced a plan April 13 to merge the two international climate groups they lead, combining C40 Cities (C40) and the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI).

In comments on this new alliance, Bloomberg said, "There is no single solution for solving global climate change and President Clinton and I agree that one of the most efficient methods of reducing carbon emissions is to focus on large cities around the world. The Clinton Climate Initiative Cities Program and C40 have been collaborating with large cities and now, as one organization supported by additional resources we can bring proven ideas to market and have a significant impact worldwide. This stronger alliance with the Clinton Climate Initiative Cities Program now positions the C40 to be a critical leader on climate-related initiatives."

"As national governments, regrettably and all too often, dither and delay, cities around the globe must lead the change in addressing climate change," Bloomberg said in acknowledging the significant challenges before the new group.

Bloomberg, who currently chairs the C40, an international organization of the world's largest cities, promised that the new alliance would "streamline and enhance the work of these two fantastic organizations" and "clarifies and strengthens the relationship between these two international organizations." He also noted that the plan "responds to what C40 cities said they want."

"Climate change is an urgent challenge, and the world's cities have a powerful responsibility to address it," he said. Citing key benefits of new pedestrian plazas in the city, including a 63 percent drop in nitrogen oxide pollution and a 41 percent drop in nitrogen dioxide at Times Square, Bloomberg pointed out that more than 97 percent of the climate initiatives set forth in PlaNYC have been implemented over the last four years.

"Going forward, we plan to make the C40 nothing less than the most authoritative source of (climate) information on the world's great cities," he said.

"We set up this Climate Initiative for a very specific reason, to find examples of where you could reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the economy," Clinton said.

Clinton talked about how building retrofit initiatives in Houston and cities throughout Australia, and methane capture projects in Lagos and Mexico City are helping show the economic benefits of reducing carbon emissions. "We did a lot of the technical work to put up the 140,000 LED streetlights in Los Angeles. Just these streetlights will save the city $10 million per year in electric bills and maintenance costs," he said.

By merging these efforts, Clinton said, "We will change the way you consume and produce energy in cities in a way that is good for emissions, and its solves some of these things, so there is something going on in all 40 cities, and we can take other cities in."

Clinton promised that the newly-former organization will accelerate progress by cities worldwide in reducing emissions. "You are going to see a much more rapid dissemination of information, and a much more rapid drop in greenhouse gas emissions, and an increase in jobs in the cities in United States and throughout the world."

C40 member cities in the U.S. are Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, and Philadelphia.