By Kevin McCarty
July 4, 2011

Houston Mayor Annise Parker and Evanston (IL) Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl were honored June 17 during the the opening plenary session of the Conference’s 79th Annual Meeting in Baltimore, winning this year’s Mayors Climate Protection Awards in their respective population categories.

In praising the mayors, Conference of Mayors President Burnsville (MN) Mayor Elizabeth B. Kautz said, “Parker’s efforts to improve the efficiency of the city’s building stock, both city-owned and privately-owned, is a very broad and bold undertaking, one that will substantially reduce energy use and associated carbon emissions. Under Tisdahl’s leadership, the city has embraced an ambitious plan to reduce carbon emissions in city operations by 13 percent by 2013. Both mayors are showing that both leadership and results matter.”

“Our citizens do insist on a greener Evanston, and that is what we are trying to give them,” Tisdahl said.

“It [the award] affirmed our work in Evanston and by mayors throughout the nation to reduce our carbon footprint. One thousand and 53 mayors have signed the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. Mayors are not waiting for the federal government to solve this problem for us. Mayors have given national and international leadership on this issue, and I am proud to be one of the 1,053 mayors,” she said in accepting the first place award for cities under 100,000 in population.

“I believe it was Mayor Finch who said this [climate protection] is a ‘long fight.’ This award and all the awards you give in the future are important because this is a long fight,” said Tisdahl said in concluding her remarks.

In accepting the large city award on behalf of Parker, Houston Sustainability Director Laura Spanjian cited the leadership of mayors and their cities on climate protection. “Cities are where the innovation is happening, where the initiatives are happening, and where we are being cutting edge.”

“For Houston, we are focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in as many ways as we possibly can, whether it is our green building program or energy efficiency program, our electric vehicle readiness program, our urban gardening and farm market program, our renewables program, or our recycling and composting program. Everything we do is about reducing our greenhouse gas emissions,” Spanjian said.

At the special luncheon session, Kautz thanked Walmart for its sponsorship of the annual awards program, which is now in its fifth year, adding that “this program honors mayors for exemplary local leadership, commitment, and innovation on climate protection.”

Joining with Kautz for the session was Walmart Public Affairs and Government Relations Vice President Maggie Sans, who praised the awards program and her company’s collaboration with mayors on climate protection. “We are proud of the partnership with the Conference of Mayors and look forward to driving our partnership together. It [awards program] celebrates just one example of how mayors are leading and innovating on one of the most important issues we face. Like you, we are focused on environmental sustainability.”

In her remarks, Sans talked about the community of Walmart and how the company and mayors can work together to have an impact in communities.

In addition to the first place winners, Honorable Mention Awards were presented to mayors in five large cities and five small cities.

Large cities receiving these awards were: Fresno (CA) Mayor Ashley Swearengin, New Haven (CT) Mayor John DeStefano, Jr., Orlando (FL) Mayor Buddy Dyer, Conference of Mayors Second Vice President Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter, and San Juan, (PR) Mayor Jorge Santini. Small city awardees were: Chapel Hill (NC) Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt, Dubuque (IA) Mayor Roy D. Buol, Eden Prairie (MN) Mayor Nancy Tyra-Lukens, New Bedford (MA) Mayor Scott W. Lang, and Wilmington (DE) Mayor James M. Baker.