Forward-thinking cities working together to tackle climate change 15 September 2015
Leaders from 13 cities representing almost one hundred million people are visiting Sydney this week to workshop ways to improve energy efficiency, reduce emissions and tackle climate change globally
Experts from cities including Tokyo, New York, London, Singapore, Johannesburg and Shenzhen will join forces at the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group’s (C40) Private Building Efficiency network workshop at Sydney Town Hall. C40 connects more than 80 global cities committed to taking significant action on climate change.
The City is co-chair of the Private Buildings Efficiency network along with the Tokyo government. The network supports cities in developing policies and programs that improve residential and commercial energy efficiency.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore said action on climate change was the most significant issue of our time and was vital at both the local, and global level.
“While our federal leaders disregard global warming, city leaders are getting on with the job,” the Lord Mayor said.
“Our cities account for 80 per cent of carbon emissions worldwide, so it’s cities where we need strong action.”
“With leaders from 13 global cities including Tokyo, London, Seoul, New York City, Johannesburg and Shenzhen in Sydney this week, I’m looking forward to plenty of insights into tackling emissions and global warming in our cities.”
“C40 plays a very important role in helping cities share practical experiences and effective strategies.”
The City of Sydney has an ambitious emissions reduction target – to cut emissions by 70 per cent by 2030, based on 2006 levels and an energy efficiency improvement target for buildings of 31 per cent by 2030.
The City’s sustainability programs, including CitySwitch, the Better Buildings Partnership, Smart Green Business and Smart Blocks, are improving energy performance of buildings across the city while making significant financial savings.
Better Buildings Partnership members have slashed their energy bills by $30 million a year since the partnership was established and avoided over 113,000 tonnes carbon emissions in the last year alone.
The City of Sydney’s new master plan for energy efficiency shows businesses and residents how to slash greenhouse pollution and save more than $600 million in energy bills by 2030.
The Sydney event follows a workshop and summit hosted by Tokyo mid-last year.
About the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group:
The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, now in its 10th year, connects more than 75 of the world’s greatest cities, representing 550+ million people and one quarter of the global economy.
Created and led by cities, C40 is focused on tackling climate change and driving urban action that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and climate risks, while increasing the health, wellbeing and economic opportunities of urban citizens.
The current chair of the C40 is Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes; three-term Mayor of New York City Michael R. Bloomberg serves as President of the Board.
To learn more about the work of C40 and our cities, visit www.c40.org.
For media inquiries or images, contact City of Sydney Senior Media Adviser Claire Thompson, phone 02 9265 9582 or email cthompson1@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au
For interviews with Lord Mayor Clover Moore, contact Matt Levinson on 0499 319 385 or email mlevinson@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au