Energy and sustainability efforts have yet to wane when it comes to most cities’ policies, according to The United States Conference of Mayors’ Clean Energy Solutions for America’s Cities survey. The report, which polled 400 mayors in all 50 states, found that cities are seeking out federal resources and looking for more private-sector partnerships in an effort to continue implementing sustainable practices despite financial constraints. More than half of the mayors surveyed also reported that their cities were “somewhat more prepared” for higher energy costs than they were three years ago.
“The survey reaffirms trends that we’re seeing in different areas around the world – that cities are taking the practical lead in pushing national sustainability objectives by actually deploying the technologies today,” says Rob Kerr, vice president at GlobeScan, which conducted the survey.
Key findings from the survey include:
– Three in four mayors expect their cities to use more clean energy technology in the next five years.
– Efficient lighting, low-energy building technologies, and solar systems used to generate electricity rank as the most promising products for reducing energy use and carbon emissions.
– One-third of mayors say adapting to climate change is an element of their cities’ capital planning and capital improvement programs.
– One-quarter of the surveyed mayors’ cities have set targets for renewable energy use while nine in ten mayors say that energy efficiency is integral to the cities’ strategic energy planning.
“The key drivers behind much of this activity are, not surprisingly, economic: to attract new businesses and jobs, reduce energy costs, and more generally, develop a greener economy,” says Tom Cochran, CEO and executive director at the United States Conference of Mayors.
