by Brianna Crandall — July 22, 2016 — Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski and other city, business and nonprofit leaders launched last week an initiative to transition the community to 100% renewable energy sources by 2032 and to reduce carbon emissions citywide by 80% by 2040, leading other cities across the nation by example.
The commitment, called Climate Positive SLC, reportedly makes Salt Lake City one of only a handful of cities worldwide to pledge an 80% reduction in community wide greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.
Mayor Biskupski commented:
This is the most ambitious step ever taken by Salt Lake City to address the threat of climate change. This commitment places the City among leading communities worldwide that acknowledge our responsibility to rapidly reduce emissions and forge a new path forward that protects our economies, societies and overall human well-being.
In January, during the mayor’s State of the City Address, Salt Lake City committed to 100 percent renewable electricity sources for its government operations, along with major carbon reductions for City operations, but this resolution expands the scope to include all electricity and emissions on a community scale. The commitment is the result of a Joint Resolution signed by the mayor and City Council on July 12.
Salt Lake City Council Member Erin Mendenhall, who sponsored the Joint Resolution, added:
The goals in our resolution may seem aggressive. To that I say, they are realistic if we want to actually change the air we breathe. This has been a long time Council priority we have supported for years through budget priorities, ordinances and resolutions, helping lay the foundation for the City to take the leap.
The Joint Resolution cited the scientific consensus that climate change is occurring and being driven by the burning of fossil fuels. The resolution also acknowledged local impacts such as changes in water systems and extreme weather events that are affecting Salt Lake City now and will be exacerbated in the future.
Mayor Biskupski concluded:
We can tackle this challenge and deliver clean energy solutions that will simultaneously improve air quality, protect public health, and deliver local jobs. Leading on climate change today is an obligation we all share with each other and to future generations.
More details on this commitment by Salt Lake City, including a complete copy of the Joint Resolution, are available on the Climate Positive SLC Web site.
