Sustainable Practice Committee active in Portsmouth

The Committee on Sustainable Practices in Portsmouth (U.S.A.) has put forward a number of initiatives in support of the city’s sustainability initiatives.

Newly elected Mayor Tom Ferrini recently signed an eco-municipality designation resolution, recommended by the Committee on Sustainability Practices. By signing the non-binding resolution, the city agrees to follow several guidelines, such as reducing dependence on fossil fuels and activities that harm life-sustaining ecosystems.

Other actions include joining ICLEI and ICLEI’s CCP Campaign. The Committee and Council have also worked to incorporate green principles into building designs, expanded recycling programs and started using biodiesel in some city vehicles.

More and more cities are facing the need to mitigate climate change while already adapting to the changes brought about by climate change. ICLEI’s Cities for Climate Protection^® (CCP) Campaign is an innovative international campaign that helps local government and their communities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and their impact on the environment. And now, the CCP Campaign is launching the Adaptation Initiative, building capacity for climate change impacts at the local level. For more information, please visit www.iclei.org/ccp.

Portsmouth is one of 266 local governments in the U.S.A. that are currently Members of ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability. For more information on ICLEI and its activities in the U.S.A., please go to www.iclei.org/usa.

Source: “City’s green committee gets thumbs up”, Sea Coast Online, 28 December 2007.