By Lina Garcia
July 14, 2008

Greeted by a standing ovation, more than 300 mayors, many more business representatives, and others heard former President William Jefferson Clinton praise mayors for their leadership on climate protection, challenging them to expand their local efforts to secure the many economic and environmental benefits that will result from increased efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"We have to create this as the greatest single opportunity for economic mobilization and prosperity this country has had since World War II," Clinton said.

Clinton explained that increased energy independence and efficiency is not just good for the environment but also good for the overall U.S. economy and can lead to many new green jobs and stimulate other job creation. Noting current domestic economic conditions, with people struggling to pay their mortgage and cope with rising gas prices, he explained that we have to create incentives for Americans to move towards green practices that can lead to job opportunities.

The former President said he expects a new Presidential Administration to have new energy policies, but urged local governments to act independently at the local level. He said that he supports presumptive Democratic Presidential Nominee Barack Obama’s energy policy, which calls for a larger cut in greenhouse gas emissions than that of Senator John McCain. McCain’s stance on the environment and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, he noted however, has improved on what Republican leaders have proposed in the past. Clinton emphasized that policy platforms presented by both presidential nominees are better than that of our current Administration. "I think we’ll get better national policy next year."

In discussing the partnership between The U.S. Conference of Mayors and the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), he said this collaboration is now focusing on working with cities to retrofit government buildings. Supported by access to volume discounts on energy efficient, clean energy products, and upgrades and technology, he explained that cities can reduce emissions without digging too deep into municipal budgets. Clinton urged mayors to take advantage of this partnership as well as other CCI initiatives. "Efforts to upgrade street lights and better insulate public housing buildings would create jobs and save cities 20 to 50 percent in energy costs," he said. "This is a no brainer — to put people to work in your community and to do your part on climate change without cutting into your operating budget."

Clinton cited key data to support the need for action by mayors and cities in the U.S. and around the world. Pointing out that more than 60 percent of the world’s population is expected to move into cities by the year 2030, he indicated that much of the burden to figure out how to reduce energy consumption will lay on the shoulders of local leaders. "It is estimated that the world’s population will grow from 6.5 billion to 9 billion by 2050, the exact same time in which the climate scientists tell us we have to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent. Since these people are going to be living in cities, that means you will be at the forefront in the struggle to determine what world our grandchildren will be living in and whether it will be habitable."

During his remarks at a Plenary Session on June 22, he also talked about his foundation’s work on obesity and financial literacy and welcomed the opportunity to work with the nation’s mayors on these issues.

Following the former President’s speech, the Conference hosted a special workshop on the Government Building Retrofit Program titled: Municipal Buildings Energy Efficiency Workshop, where Brian Yeoman, the CCI City Director for Houston, presented details on this initiative and helped participants review its applicability to city efforts in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in city government buildings.