FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 5, 2017
Contact: Katie Vane
802.734.0617
Mayor Weinberger Joins Open Letter to International Community and Parties to the Paris Agreement Stating “We Are Still In;” Affirms City of Burlington’s Commitment to Paris Agreement Goals
Burlington, VT – Mayor Miro Weinberger released the following statement announcing he has joined hundreds of mayors and leaders from across the country in signing an open letter, released today, declaring that the signatories will continue to support the Paris Climate Agreement:
“Burlington is proud to be the first city in the nation to source 100 percent of its energy from renewable generation, and we are now working hard to become a net zero energy city,” said Mayor Weinberger. “I am excited to work with leaders of state and local governments, businesses and institutions to achieve the Paris Agreement’s goals regardless of last week’s disastrous decision by President Trump. Together, we can and will do our part to save the planet.”
At the time of its release, the letter included hundreds of businesses, mayors, and presidents of colleges and universities pledging to the international community and parties to the Paris Agreement that “we are still in.” The open letter was coordinated by The B Team, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Center for American Progress, Ceres, CDP, Climate Mayors, Climate Nexus, C40, C2ES, Georgetown Climate Center, ICLEI, National League of Cities, Rocky Mountain Institute, Second Nature, Sierra Club, We Mean Business, and World Wildlife Fund.
Since becoming the first city in the country in 2014 to source 100 percent of its energy from renewable sources, the City Administration has begun making investments necessary to become a net zero energy city within ten to 15 years across electricity, thermal and ground transportation sectors. Recent municipal initiatives related to this goal include:
- Creating a multi-party Memorandum of Understanding for the purposes of exploring the feasibility of a District Energy System. Such a system could reduce the City’s total carbon footprint by approximately 20%.
- Launching the Energy Champ Challenge in the spring of 2015 to help Burlingtonians understand and improve their energy efficiency.
- Installing 13 Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations, totaling 24 charging ports, in various City locations since 2013.
- Completing the first phase of the Waterfront Bike Path rehabilitation in January, 2017, and breaking ground on the second phase in June, 2017.
- Adopting the new PlanBTV Walk/Bike Master Plan in April, 2017.
- Exploring an E-Bus pilot program in April, 2017.
- Launching a new Electric Vehicle rebate program in May, 2017.
The Mayor has also supported the objectives of a number of environmental and energy coalitions and campaigns since 2014 in keeping with these climate goals, including:
- Michael Bloomberg’s Compact of Mayors (2015)
- Becoming a “Climate Mayor” as part of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Mayors National Climate Action Agenda (December, 2016)
- Environment America’s “Voices for 100% Renewable Energy” campaign (April, 2017)
- Sierra Club’s “Mayors for 100% Clean Energy,” part of the Sierra Club’s “Ready for 100” campaign (May, 2017)
* View the “We Are Still In” letter to the international community and parties to the Paris Agreement here.
