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Philadelphia Joins Global Climate Action Summit In Fight Against Climate Change

The City of Philadelphia furthered its commitments to fighting climate change this week during the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco.

The Summit brings people from around the world together to celebrate climate action by cities, business and citizens. City Sustainability Director Christine Knapp is in attendance and is speaking about Philadelphia’s clean energy and climate plans.

The Summit challenged participants to sign on to further climate commitments and the City of Philadelphia is pleased to announce it signed on the following:

-- Deadline 2020 – Develop an inclusive climate mitigation and adaptation plan compatible with the Paris Agreement by 2020.

-- Advancing towards Zero Waste – Reduce municipal solid waste generation per capita by at least 15 percent, reduce solid waste disposed to landfill or incineration by at least 50 percent, and increase the diversion rate away from landfill and incineration by at least 70 percent by 2030. This commitment is in line with the City’s Zero Waste and Litter Plan.

-- Achieving an equitable low-carbon transformation – Increase action on community-led development, inclusive climate action, and infrastructure projects to achieve environmental, health, social and economic benefits especially in low-income and vulnerable neighborhoods.

-- Just transition – Include workers and jobs as part of city climate strategy

-- Edmonton Declaration – Recognize need for urgent action, to coordinate and integrate efforts, and to establish formal science-based policy and decision-making processes.

-- Renewable Energy – Commit to 100 percent renewable electricity by 2035 and 100 percent renewable energy by 2050. Mayor Kenney signed the Sierra Club’s “Ready for 100” pledge in June of 2017.

-- Cities4Forests – Integrate forests into city development plans and programs.

“Philadelphia is proud to stand alongside so many other cities in leading the way on climate change. Nearing the end of one of our hottest and wettest summers on record, we’re already feeling the harmful effects of climate change and are committed to doing our part in this fight,” said Mayor Jim Kenney.

Additionally, Philadelphia was recognized as one of the 27 international cities whose greenhouse gas emissions have peaked, even while population has grown.

Scientists have calculated that global greenhouse gas emissions need to peak by 2020 at the latest and then come down very steeply, which is why it’s important that Philadelphia is already on the right path.

Locally, the City’s Office of Sustainability issued a Clean Energy Vision Action Plan that outlines near term opportunities to ramp up progress on reducing carbon emissions in the City’s built environment, as identified in Powering Our Future: A Clean Energy Vision for Philadelphia.

The City also published the SOLAR rooftops application to help residents, businesses and city agencies understand the solar potential from existing rooftops.

For more information, visit Philadelphia’s Office of Sustainability webpage.

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