By Judy Sheahan and Debra DeHaney-Howard
September 25, 2006

The U.S. Department of Energy released a 244-page strategic plan on September 20 that outlines the Administration’s plans to advance technologies that will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions to help combat global warming.

The Administration’s $3 billion plan is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a number of strategies including voluntary incentives, mandatory partnerships, advance climate change science, spur clean energy development and deployment, and promote international collaboration.

The six goals of the comprehensive plan include the following:

1 reducing emissions from energy use and infrastructure;

2 reducing emissions from energy supply;

3 capturing and sequestering carbon dioxide;

4 reducing emissions of other greenhouse gases;

5 measuring and monitoring emissions; and

6 bolstering the contributions of basic science to climate change.

Conference of Mayors Executive Director Tom Cochran in a statement said, “While long term technology is needed, the nation’s mayors recognize that there is plenty of current technology that can be implemented now. Mayors have been on the forefront of this issue and have taken the lead in addressing the nation’s energy challenges to reduce our dependency on foreign oil.”

Cochran also noted that nearly 300 mayors have already made a commitment to reduce their city’s greenhouse gas emissions by seven percent by signing onto the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, which was spearheaded by Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels. The resolution was unanimously adopted by the Conference of Mayors at the Chicago annual meeting in 2005.

Cochran said, “We welcome the participation of the Administration and Congress in the Mayors’ efforts to help provide incentives on a national scale as we move forward with our efforts to reduce the impact of climate change.”

As part of its ongoing efforts to address climate change, the Conference of Mayors is holding its second National Energy and Environment Summit in Atlanta October 26-27. The meeting will focus on how to make buildings more energy efficient and carbon neutral. Mayors will be meeting with real estate developers, managers, and architects about the types of incentives that can be provided that will encourage carbon neutral development. For more information about the meeting, contact Debra DeHaney-Howard or Judy Sheahan of the Conference staff at 202-293-7330.