By Lina Garcia
October 8, 2007

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels accepted the prestigious 2007 Innovations in Government Award for his citywide and national efforts towards climate protection. The award was issued by the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government on September 25 in Washington (DC). Seattle was recognized as an exemplary model of innovative government programming and for its groundbreaking work in halting the impact of global warming. The city was one of seven winners, selected from a pool of nearly 1,000 applicants and will receive a $100,000 grant to share its best practices with jurisdictions nationwide.

Under Nickels’ leadership, Seattle has successfully reduced government carbon dioxide emissions by 60 percent as compared to 1990 levels and fossil fuel consumption by 12 percent as compared to 1999 levels. These achievements are due to Seattle’s launch of multiple programs that offer creative solutions to environmental challenges. Those programs include:

• Seattle City Light Utility: Seattle’s municipally-owned electric utility company, reporting annual revenues of over one billion dollars, collaborated with the city to reduce carbon dioxide emissions through innovative alternative energy investment programs and new cruise ship docking procedures.

• Clean & Green Fleet Program: Seattle’s Public Works department vehicles as well as regional buses and and other vehicles now run on biodiesel fuels.

• Smart Planning: Seattle is at the forefront of creative urban planning programming that encourages energy efficiency and reduced dependence on motor vehicles.

“We are honored to be recognized as a 2007 Ash Institute Innovations in American Government recipient among the number of esteemed municipal government programs nominated,” said Nickels. “We believe global warming is the biggest threat to our planet affecting each and every one of our citizens across the country. Higher atmospheric temperatures will ultimately damage Seattle’s water and hydro-electric power supply and threaten our natural environment and the quality of life in the Pacific Northwest. Thanks to the Ash Institute’s support, Seattle will have an even greater opportunity to share our climate-friendly programs with citizens nationwide.”

“We are pleased to welcome the city of Seattle to the Innovations in American Government hall of achievement, which celebrates successful federal, state and local government projects across the United States,” said Stephen Goldsmith, director of the Innovations in American Government Program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. “Since its inception twenty years ago, the Innovations in American Government program has commemorated the creative ideas and solutions of organizations that drive reform in federal and state legislation. Seattle’s leadership in involving cities in the battle against global warming serves as a shining example for cities and states around the country to also make the steps improve the health of our planet.”

Established in 1986 at Harvard University by the Ford Foundation, the Innovations in American Government Award Program has honored 174 federal, state and local government agencies. For more information, visit: www.ashinstitute.harvard.edu.

The award issued to Seattle comes in the heels of a successful launch last week of Seattle Climate Action Now (www.seattlecan.org) – a grassroots campaign to encourage everyone in Seattle to take steps today to reduce carbon emissions that are causing global warming.

In November, Nickels will host the Mayors Climate Protection Summit of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the largest national convening of American mayors to discuss climate protection. At least 100 mayors from across the country are expected to attend the event and Former President Bill Clinton and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will headline the meeting. For more information, visit: usmayors.org