Seattle (April 13, 2018) – Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan signed two Executive Orders that embed climate considerations more fully into City operations. The orders follow the release of new bold actions in Seattle to reduce carbon pollution from our transportation and building sectors and make Seattle a national leader in fighting climate change. The first executive order calls for accelerating the electrification of the City’s municipal fleet and phasing out fossil fuel use in City vehicles by 2030. The second executive order directs the Office of Sustainability & Environment to develop a process for assessing the greenhouse gas emissions and climate resilience of major city policies, capital projects, and purchasing decisions.
“Our City government must match our words with actions to reduce our transportation emissions,” said Mayor Durkan. “We have a moral obligation to act on climate, and our City continues to make significant strides to lead the nation on climate action. Through these actions, we will continue reducing climate pollution, enhancing resilience, and doing our part protecting the planet.”
“The most important thing we can do locally is to create viable alternatives for people to get around without the use of fossil fuels. That’s where my passions for expanding transit access, improving bike and pedestrian infrastructure, making land use decisions to create denser cities, and ending our addiction to fossil fuels, come from,” said Councilmember Mike O’Brien, District 6 – Northwest Seattle. “The future of the human race depends on decisions we make in the present, and in response to choices we’ve made in the past. In the absence of federal leadership, we have a moral imperative to take bold action at the City, State, and Regional level to fight for our future existence.”
Two-thirds of Seattle’s climate emissions result from road transportation. While Seattle is leading to reduce single occupancy vehicle trips, this strategy ensures the City of Seattle is leading with their own fleet to reduce the climate and air pollution from Seattle’s cars and trucks by using Seattle City Light’s carbon neutral electricity. The Executive Order on Green Fleets includes the following directives:
• Drive Clean Seattle Green Fleet Action Plan: Plan will outline past and future implementation actions that will accelerate the electrification of the City’s municipal fleet and phase out fossil fuel use in City vehicles by 2030.
• Prohibition of new city-owned fossil fuel infrastructure: Effective immediately, construction and installation of any new fossil fuel infrastructure for the City’s fleet is prohibited.
The Executive Order on City Operations Climate Assessment includes the following:
• Develop a policy for assessing the climate impacts of city decisions: The Office of Sustainability and Environment (OSE) will lead an interdepartmental process to develop a policy and implementation guidance for assessing the greenhouse gas emissions and climate resilience of major city policies, capital projects, and purchasing decisions by December 31, 2018.
• Create a consistent framework and reporting protocol: OSE will work across departments to create a consistent framework and reporting protocol for analysis of greenhouse gas emissions and climate resilience. The framework will incorporate consideration of racial equity and social justice consistent with the City’s Race and Social Justice Initiative.
“Seattle has long been a leader in developing solutions to the world’s most pressing problems,” said Jessica Finn Coven, Director of the Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment. “The actions from Mayor Durkan today continue this leadership with innovative solutions to climate change.
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