News Release
February 03, 2009
San Jose, California
San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland sign Climate Compact
Bay Area companies and organizations join initiative
Groundbreaking collaboration addresses climate change, economy
The Bay Area established a model for regional collaboration in addressing climate change with the signing today of a groundbreaking compact that formalizes the ÒBay Area Climate Collaborative.Ó The Compact was signed by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed. The third major city partner in the collaborative, Oakland, was represented by Mayor Ron Dellums chief of staff David Chai. .At the ceremony at Silver Spring Networks in Redwood City, three business organizations also committed themselves to cooperate to reach quantifiable goals in reducing greenhouse gases.
The signers issued a call to action for the rest of the Bay Area to join. Even before the ceremony, the collaborative had expanded regional cooperation. Santa Clara County joined this week to become the first local government, in addition to the three major cities, to sign on.
Businesses partnering in the collaborative include Better Place, a leader in working to build an electric car network; Genentech, a leader in alternative commutes for employees; Webcor Builders, a leader in green building, and Pacific Gas & Electric, a leader in electricity conservation. The host for the event, Silver Spring Networks, is a leader in establishing a Òsmart gridÓ in which utilities and customers can monitor power use and maximize efficiency.
Environmental Defense, an international environmental non-profit, is also a partner.
Fulfilling the compact will create jobs in the Bay Area in clean technologies at the same time it addresses climate change and makes the region a national and international model of public/private cooperation, involving governments, non-profits and businesses.
The compact specifies 10 measurable goals in such areas as renewable energy, zero emission vehicles, municipal and organizational climate adaptation plans and workforce training for the new clean and green economy. The goals set firm targets and timelines, such as increasing the green workforce with 20,000 new graduates by 2013.
The list of speakers demonstrates the cooperation between cities, non-profits and businesses:
- Carl Guardino, President & CEO, Silicon Valley Leadership Group (MC)
- John O'Farrell, Executive VP, Silver Spring Networks
- Chuck Reed, Mayor, San Jose
- Gavin Newsom, Mayor, San Francisco
- David Chai for Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums
- Tom Bottorff, Senior VP, Pacific Gas & Electric
- Russell Hancock, President & CEO, Joint Venture Silicon Valley
- Sean Randolph, President & CEO, Bay Area Council Economic Institute
- Andrew J. Ball, President & CEO, Webcor Builders
- Warner Chabot, CEO, California League of Conservation Voters
Members of the collaborative:
- City of Oakland
- City of San Francisco
- City of San Jose
- Silicon Valley Leadership Group
- Bay Area Council
- Joint Venture Silicon Valley
- Santa Clara County
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