Phillips: Climate conference showing local collaboration to solve global challenge

December 7, 2015

Summary

“The world’s focus in Paris this week to meet the challenge of climate change is paying great dividends. Our Local Climate Leader’s Circle has made the leadership efforts of hundreds of local governments apparent to the negotiators that now is the time to make real progress on carbon reduction. Their draft agreement reflects our work to take action now.”

Story

Metropolitan King County Council Chair Larry Phillips, a delegate to the COP-21 Climate Conference in Paris, released this statement on the draft agreement reached by local governments at the conference:

“The world’s focus in Paris this week to meet the challenge of climate change is paying great dividends. Our Local Climate Leader’s Circle has made the leadership efforts of hundreds of local governments apparent to the negotiators that now is the time to make real progress on carbon reduction. Their draft agreement reflects our work to take action now.

“The Local Climate Leader’s Circle is a strong example of the collaboration that is taking place on a local level to combat this global challenge. We are also joined by delegates from Africa and China as well as from across the United States from California to Florida. All are forging plans to reduce negative impacts and build a livable future. King County's Strategic Climate Action Plan is being shared worldwide as a model for local leadership on tackling this challenge.

“The collaboration has already seen results. From the funds being poured into Africa to boost renewable energy programs to China going on the record on a plan to reduce their greenhouses gases, developed nations have announced their intent to work on reducing global warming.

“The summit is developing the blueprint that everyone; governments, organizations, and individuals will be able to build on in the future.”