Municipalities Investing in Sustainability: A Timely and Unbeatable Opportunity
The ‘green’ revolution was once trumpeted by a vocal and passionate minority of folks. Today, the march towards sustainability has become one embraced by popular demand across sectors, geographies, and classes. Sustainability is eagerly discussed in board rooms as well as at the grassroots level, in urban centers and in small rural towns, and at every step along the supply chain.
Meeting lofty goals of this green movement today is largely driven by public policy, and governments across the country (and, indeed, the world) are all putting forth clean energy, sustainability, and climate targets and actions to meet those aggressive ambitions. Whether those government targets require a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by installing renewable energy assets, committing to the electric vehicle (EV) transformation, or via carbon-negative strategies of protecting trees or other natural environments, the political will to be sustainable has never been greater than it is today. And that fact is driven by the understanding that:
Sustainability is the rational economic choice
Policies that embrace clean energy and green actions are increasingly popular for their local benefits to environments and job markets
Preserving the planet for the future is an existential priority
While these issues are actively debated on the federal and even state government stages, municipalities have some unique opportunities given how close they are to their constituents and communities and how tangible results can be seen, felt, and even measured. As such, municipalities carry some of the greatest ability to embrace a sustainable future.
Where Cities Can Uniquely Succeed
To set the stage, more than 100 American cities have already pledged to meet the net-zero future. By signing onto the ‘Cities Race to Zero,’ the mayors of these cities (who represent more than 54 million Americans collectively) have shown a commitment to a sustainable future. While policies related to climate and clean energy notoriously get stuck in gridlock in the U.S. Congress, the smaller representative bodies for municipal governments are better poised to make those commitments for their citizens today.