PARTNERS: Pittsburgh

The City of Pittsburgh announced on October 19, 2006 their intention to begin a multi-year effort to cut costs and curtail emissions responsible for global warming and air pollution through a program of energy efficiency, technology, and conservation with aid from Clean Air Cool Planet through funding from the Heinz and Hunt Foundations.

Pittsburgh is partnering with Clean Air-Cool Planet and ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability “to reduce our energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions, improve public health, and save taxpayers money,” Yarone Zober, Chief of Staff, stated.

Yarone Zober was the Pittsburgh city representative that participated in CA-CP’s cross border knowledge exchange trip to Toronto, Canada earlier this year in June 2006.  

With help from ICLEI, and leadership from Rebecca Flora of the Green Building Alliance, seven graduate students from Carnegie Mellon University are in the process of completing a greenhouse gas inventory for the city. This will be the first time in the nation that an inventory was completed for a city of this size in such a short period of time. This was made possible by the unique cooperation occurring in Pittsburgh between different organizations and political stakeholders at multiple levels.

The city of Pittsburgh formed a Green Government Task Force that is co-chaired by Mayor Ravenstahl, Senator Ferlo, Councilman Peduto, and Rebecca Flora from the Green Building Alliance.  The task force will guide the city through a process to:

• Reduce energy costs and save taxpayer money;
• Improve local air quality;
• Foster green investments and new technologies;
• Support the local economy; and
• Protect the global and local climate.

The first briefing meeting of the Green Government Task Force members was held on October 19, 2006. During that meeting, the CMU graduate student team gave a presentation on the work they are performing. The task force was well attended by multiple Pittsburgh stakeholders. (See the Pittsburgh Green Government Task Force Members)

The next meeting of the Green Government Task Force meeting is scheduled for November 28th.

Upon completion of the inventory, CA-CP and ICLEI will work with the Task Force and other community stakeholders to develop a Local Action Plan, which will include the prioritization of key greenhouse gas emission reduction projects. Clean Air Cool Planet will set up and facilitate two global warming roundtables during this process that will bring together business leaders, educational institutions, community organizations, residents and city staff in order to incorporate input from the larger community. These roundtables will also aid in the collaboration of other community groups working on similar issues and create a strategy for working together where there are common interests. The roundtables will also aid in the creation of the Local Action Plan that encompasses recommendations for the larger community that is separate from city operations.

The Green Building Alliance is hosting a web site with updated information on the task force. Visit the new Green Government Task Force page.

Please contact Christa Koehler, Community Program Manager for more information on the Pittsburgh partnership.