Bleached coral, Great Barrier Reef. Effects of climate change.
Marrakech - As environment ministers from around the world
gather inMarrakech to finalise the details of the Kyoto Protocol,
San Franciscans overnight voted in favour of two solar power
initiatives that will make the city a US national leader in solar
energy use.
The two initiatives, Propositions B and H, will fund up to 50
megawatts of solar power, far more than the 8 megawatts of solar in
nearby Sacramento, the country's largest current installation. The
renewable energy propositions garnered 73% and 55% of votes cast
respectively. Greenpeace's Solar Yes campaign was an integral part
of the success of the solar ballot measures. The city will sell
US$100million in revenue bonds to fund solar and wind projects on
municipal buildings, and will authorise the city to raise
additional funds for renewable projects without voter approval.
"Today's vote sends a strong, clear message to the Bush
administration, as well as politicians in Marrakech," said Danny
Kennedy, Greenpeace's Clean Energy Now! Campaign Coordinator.
"Fossil fuels are dirty, expensive, insecure and they cause global
warming."
San Francisco's vote will be a major boost for the solar
industry, creating a large increase in US domestic demand. It could
also spur other cities or states to take similar steps. An upcoming
Greenpeace study, "Solar Promise," shows how US states would
benefit from a modest investment in solar power. The study details
the possibilities of new job creation and pollution cuts in each
state derived from an increase in solar power. The "Solar Promise"
report will be available on-line at
www.greenpeaceusa.org/energy/solar on November 8.
The Greenpeace "Solar yes!" campaign involved a core group of
five young organisers working 10-18 hour days for almost two
months. The group distributed 50,000 leaflets, left 250,000 pieces
of literature on doors, distributed 1,500 signs for store and home
windows and called 50,000 voters. They recruited more than 200
volunteers to work on the campaign and enlisted the aid of 25
churches and community groups.
"The difference between victory and defeat in this campaign was
the hard work of our young organisers. They have been out there
revealing the great possibility that solar power has for San
Francisco and the entire country - now the challenge is for other
cities and states to see the light and go solar," Kennedy
added.
Notes: Further Info: www.cleanenergynow.org or www.greenpeace.org/~climate/climatecountdown/solargeneration