May 29, 2008

Nickels and Sims pleased with new carbon footprint study

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and King County Executive Ron Sims consider today’s Brookings Institute regional carbon footprint report a valuable start in measuring the role government policies play in reducing climate pollution.

Clean hydro power, sprawl-limiting land-use policies, and a comprehensive transit system helped the Seattle Metropolitan area’s carbon footprint rank 6th in the nation per capita.

Seattle and King County governments are helping reduce distances people drive their cars by creating walkable neighborhoods, expanding bus and light rail service, adding to the regional trail system and making streets more bike-friendly.

Both Nickels and Sims emphasized there is much more work to do to meet goals for reducing greenhouse gases by as much as 80 percent by 2050.

The Brookings carbon footprint study looked at 2005 data and was not as rigorous as the method used by Seattle and King County to measure their respective carbon emissions. The study was undertaken to help influence federal transportation, energy and housing policies to better address climate change.

“You can’t change what you don’t measure; kudos to the Brookings Institute for creating a tool to help influence federal policy in ways that help local governments reduce climate impacts,” said Executive Ron Sims. “A standard and comprehensive method for measuring emissions nationwide is needed.”

Executive Sims’ Climate Change plan uses the four levers of change – transportation choices, buildings and land use, environmental quality and health, conservation and clean energy – to meet the county’s goal to reduce carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050.

King County’s urban growth area boundary keeps sprawl in check by directing growth into cities while protecting valuable farm land for local food production and forest land for absorbing carbon dioxide emissions. The county’s Annual Growth Report shows that 95 percent of all growth is happening in urban areas, preserving agricultural lands and open space.

“The Brookings Report reaffirms that we’re on the right track, but there is much to be done,” said Mayor Greg Nickels. “We need to give people more alternatives to their cars, encourage greater efficiencies in our homes and businesses, and continue to make conservation a central focus of our energy policy.”

Seattle has adopted the standards of the Kyoto Treaty, which calls for reducing climate pollution to seven percent of 1990 levels by 2012. In addition, Nickels challenged local leaders across the country to join him. The U.S. Conference of Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement now includes 852 cities representing more than 79 million people. Seattle will go further, reducing climate pollution by 80 percent by 2050.

Seattle City Light was the first in the nation to produce zero net greenhouse gas emissions. Seattle is committed to expanding bike lanes and improving pedestrian safety. Seattle’s downtown was rezoned to encourage more residential density and new home growth is concentrated in the city’s other urban centers and villages.

Both Nickels and Sims agreed that the Puget Sound Regional Council’s recent adoption of Vision 2040, the four-county regional guide for managing growth, should help reduce carbon emissions into the future.

More information about the Brookings Institute regional carbon footprint report is available online, at http://www.brookings.edu/papers/2008/05_carbon_footprint_sarzynski.aspx .