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Climate Change Perspectives
 MICHELLE KNAPIK, ELP Fellow 2001-2003, is director of energy policy for the City of Philadelphia where she develops and manages several city-federal partnerships related to energy efficient building strategies. Her work focuses on the introduction of sustainable building principles, including renewable energy options, and related economic and community development opportunities.
How does a local government energy advocate look at the highly complex issue of fuel choice, fuel use, local action, national policy, international cooperation and global warming? Concretely - most energy programs are focused on city facilities and include practices such as a move to have departments apply reflective roof coatings, undertake green building renovations, purchase energy efficient equipment, and use alternative fuels. We have also built bridges to the larger community.
I have been fortunate to work on the development of community partnerships that focus on many issues including: neighborhood level resource conservation through Eco Teams; alternative fuel market development (DOE Clean Cities Program); solar energy services (Philadelphia Million Solar Roof Partnership); and energy building upgrades (EPA Energy Star and DOE Rebuild America partnerships).
Here's the catch. While I can link these programs and partnerships to climate protection, the City of Philadelphia does not promote these actions, or similar actions taken by the transportation, health, water, fleet, streets, procurement and city planning departments, as climate protection programs. It's a matter of definition. We need to label these actions as climate protection programs. In doing so, it will show that the City is making climate protection investments on the local level and promoting local goals.
Based on a small grant from the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, the City recently began to discuss the possibility of setting citywide emission reduction targets. Although representatives from various departments have started to identify actions that fit under the climate change rubric, the City has not embraced climate protection as a legitimate local government policy area. Other impediments to developing a local climate protection policy include: the trap of "business as usual"; limited coordination with universities and other research institutions; absence of a global warming dialogue with local businesses; and limited access to software tools and models.
My ideal energy component of a climate protection policy ties economic, human and environmental health to sustainable energy choices. It starts with energy education, conservation and energy efficient standards. Support comes from a package of tax credits, grants and other incentives that reduce local reliance on imported fossil fuels in the transportation and building sectors. Actions include local renewable energy production and efforts to turn commercial and industrial wastes into energy feed stocks.
The local government should lead by example and set renewable energy purchase goals, establish alternatively fueled fleets, install renewable energy technologies and adopt green building standards. Finally, the local government should invest time in market transformation efforts as a way to insure a successful transition to a new economy. This positive vision is tied to a number of interrelated local government actions and based on diverse cross sector communication and professional linkage that is at the core of the ELP experience.
The local success of climate protection initiatives hinges on an awareness of how climate change affects community building, quality of life issues, public health and economic development. Communication between program managers and elected officials is critical. It helps local officials recognize existing actions that constitute climate protection and climate protection policy choices that will advance local goals.
Recognition may be as simple as a good labeling initiative similar to the Energy Star label that identifies energy efficient equipment. A "Climate Star" labeling program for vehicles might raise awareness about emissions and fuel economy. Global Action Plan, the nonprofit organization behind the City's Sustainable Lifestyle program, developed a "Low-Carb" diet that enables people to identify simple, everyday things they can do to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
Without messages that bring climate protection to the local level, elected officials and administrators will continue to read about rising ocean levels, melting glaciers, migrating diseases and a shift in the seasons as abstract issues that do not require local action. By helping to link energy choices to local impacts, there is an opportunity to reduce some of the factors that contribute to atmospheric change, and perhaps change the political atmosphere as well.
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