A hundred U.S Cities have pledged to reach 100% clean energy usage. This is an important development because climate change continues to get worse and action needs to be taken. Consumer demands for clean energy have propelled this push towards renewable fuels.
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Cincinnati’s community-wide commitment builds upon its Green Cincinnati Plan from May, which commits the city to powering its municipal operations with 100% renewable energy and advances other aggressive climate measures aimed at creating an equitable energy system.
“It has become clear that cities will lead the global effort to fight climate change, and Cincinnati is on the front lines,” said Mayor John Cranley of Cincinnati, Ohio. “I am encouraged by the changes we are making, but we have a lot of work left to do.”
In addition to the 100 cities, the states of California and Hawaii have adopted goals to be powered entirely by renewable sources of energy, like wind and solar.
About 48.7 million people, or 15.1% of the U.S. population, live in places that are committed to transitioning to 100% renewable energy. These cities, counties, and states will collectively reduce carbon pollution by 120 million metric tons as they move away from fossil fuels and repower themselves entirely with renewable energy — the equivalent of taking 26 million cars off the road or retiring 30 average coal fired power plants.
In response, Mike Brune, Director of the Sierra Club, issued the following statement: “Last month’s midterm elections showed that communities across the nation will not wait for Trump or Washington to take action. Now more than ever, it is up to the people to make progress happen on the local level. These first 100 cities committing to provide their residents with 100% clean energy are trailblazers that will lead our country beyond dirty fuels. Combine that with the wave of new governors committed to 100 % clean energy in key states around the country, and a future powered on clean, renewable energy will come even faster — and it is a future we are ready for.”
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