Santa Monica Joins Initiative to Lower Emissions

By Olin Ericksen
Staff Writer

February 25 -- Mayor Pam O'Connor thought globally and acted locally last week when she added her name to a growing list of mayors whose cities have agreed to take concrete steps to lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Spearheaded by Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, the initiative coincided with the historic 140-nation Kyoto Protocol, which went into effect last week. While the pact calls for reducing air pollution across the globe, one country was conspicuously missing.

The United States -- said by environmental experts to be the number one contributor of green-house gases largely responsible for global warming -- pulled out of the treaty when the Bush administration entered its first term for fear the nation’s economy would suffer.

O’Connor, who is one of the first ten mayors to support the initiative to enlist 140 cities -- signifying the 140 nations that back the accord -- said she hopes her signing is more than a symbolic act.

“As municipal governments, we can buy into and make contributions to doing something to reduce greenhouse gases,” O’Connor said, adding that she acted on behalf of the council when she added Santa Monica to the initiative. “We are making gains.

“Our national government has not been participating,” O’Connor said. “Santa Monica has been participating.”

Santa Monica, O’Connor said, has long been at the forefront of environmental polices, and as a member of the International Council of Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI)has worked with other cities to launch sustainable policies.

“If a lot of small cities are effective, you can have an impact,” O’Connor said. The new initiative “is just strengthening those bonds with cities we have been working with.”

City Council member Kevin McKeown, the sole Green Party member on the council, said the action gives cities in the U.S. a voice outside that of the federal government.

"It's a statement that local governments are not oblivious to global concern," said McKeown, adding that he hoped the measure would be backed by mayors of more conservative cities.

"As far as I know, Republicans breath too," McKeown said.

Santa Monica has long advocated strong environmental policies, O’Connor said. In 1994, the City adopted a Sustainable City Program designed to create a “more sustainable way of life” at both the local and global levels.

According to the program's Guiding Principles, “City decision-making will be guided by a mandate to maximize environmental benefits and reduce or eliminate negative environmental impacts.”

The City is currently updating its plan, with a draft of the report expected by the middle of this year.

“This is an ongoing problem,” O’Connor said, referring to greenhouse emissions and other environmental issues. “We are doing what we can. Now we need to discuss what our next target will be.”

"Environmental sustainability is excellent long term policy,” McKeown said. “The naysayers are really looking at the short-term cost, instead of focusing on the bigger picture."

"We need not only a new administration, but one not so beholden to special interests,” he said. “They want profits. We want a planet to live on.”

Jorge Casuso contributed to this report