Mayor Biskupski Leads Numerous U.S. Cities To Sign Clean Energy Resolution

The U.S. Conference of Mayors approved a historic resolution that establishes support from the nation’s mayors for the goal of moving to 100 percent clean and renewable energy in cities nationwide.

Resolution 36 was co-sponsored by Mayor Biskupski and Steve Benjamin, Mayor of Columbia, South Carolina. It specifically cites wind, solar, geothermal, and wave technology as renewable sources cities should be embracing to combat climate change.

“Mayors are ready for 100 percent clean and renewable energy,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski. “Salt Lake City has set the ambitious but achievable goals of generating 100 percent of the community’s electricity supply from renewable energy by 2032, followed by an 80 percent reduction in community greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. We are taking action to achieve these goals and I am honored to join mayors from across our nation to lead the transition to clean, renewable energy.”

A Sierra Club analysis states, if cities belonging to the U.S. Conference of Mayors were to transition to 100 percent clean and renewable electricity, it would reduce electric sector carbon emissions by more than that of the five worst carbon polluting U.S. states combined. If the 100 percent energy targets were achieved by 2025, the total electric sector carbon pollution reductions would fill anywhere from 87 percent to 110 percent of the remaining reductions the United States would need to achieve in order to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.

36 cities across the United States have now committed to transition to 100 percent renewable energy. 118 mayors have signed onto this vision in their community as part of the Mayors for 100% Clean Energy initiative Co-Chaired by Mayor Philip Levine of Miami Beach, Mayor Jackie Biskupski of Salt Lake City, Mayor Kevin Faulconer of San Diego, and Mayor Stephen K. Benjamin of Columbia, South Carolina.

The Resolution specifically excludes “energy sources derived from fossil fuels, nuclear, incineration of municipal and medical waste, and any large-scale future hydroelectric development.”

“It is critical to stand up and say ‘we are still in,’ and we know a cleaner and promising path, based on science and research, exists to address climate change,” Mayor Biskupski said.

Learn more about Resolution 36 & Ready For 100