04/25/13 - City Council Newsletter

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2013 Climate and Energy Action Plan Progress Report The City of Eugene has released the 2013 Community Climate and Energy Action Plan Progress Report. The report contains an in-depth discussion of community energy use, provides national and local context, and highlights progress made in 2012. The report also includes an update for each of the recommendations outlined in the Community Climate and Energy Action Plan. The report describes the continued decline in Eugene’s total energy consumption even with rising population in the area:  Electricity use is down 15 percent since 2000  Natural gas use is down 12 percent since 2006  Gasoline and diesel consumption is down 16 percent since 2004. While local trends are headed in the right direction, there are important developments at the national and global level. The year 2012 was the hottest on record in the United States. It saw the lowest area of Arctic sea ice since satellite records began over 30 years ago and global greenhouse gas emissions in 2011 were up more than three percent, setting a new record high for annual emissions. After reviewing the 2013 Progress Report, City Manager Jon Ruiz noted, “I’m pleased to see that as a community, we continue to reduce our use of electricity, natural gas and transportation fuels – all important indicators of both a smaller carbon footprint and reduced dependence on fossil fuels…..We’re moving in the right direction but there is much still to do. Local agencies across the region are facing budget constraints and reduced staffing resources. We need to come together to find new ways to collaborate and advance this work.” To learn more about the City’s work to address climate change and energy use, contact Matt McRae at 541- 682-5649 or Babe O’Sullivan at 541-682-5017 or visit http://www.eugene-or.gov/sustainability. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 April 25, 2013