The banner was unfurled as Mayors from around the world attended the conference focused on greening the world's cities and confronting global warming.

Greenpeace is calling on the cities of the world to find true energy independence and implement real solutions to global warming such as solar and wind power. Just yesterday, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced a plan at the conference to cut statewide emissions of greenhouse gases.

"Despite the inaction of the Bush administration, cities around the world including the United States, are joining together to take action against the very real threat of global warming." Said Samantha Rodgers, Greenpeace Clean Energy Now! campaigner. "Urban centers are where most of the world’s power is consumed. Plans such as Community Choice energy allow cities to lead the way in cutting greenhouse gases by implementing real solutions."

Presiding over the ceremonies was San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom. San Francisco is the first city in California to pass Community Choice energy legislation. The policy empowers the citizens of a city to decide for themselves whether their energy is sourced from dirty fossil fuels or clean renewable sources and who provides it. Currently, electricity generation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. While San Francisco has passed the legislation, the policy has yet to be enacted.

The "Rolling Sunlight," Greenpeace’s mobile solar power station, demonstrated that the technology for clean energy is readily available, powering a display at the event.

Four states – Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, and Rhode Island – have passed and successfully implemented Community Choice energy laws.  Local control of energy purchasing decisions has saved ratepayers money while reducing global warming emissions and cutting air pollution. Currently more than 1.5 million Americans across the country receive their energy from Community Choice plans.

An annual event put on by the United Nations, World Environment Day 2005 is the first to be hosted inside the United States. Mayors from many of the world’s largest cities are slated to attend. The conference runs from June 1-5 in San Francisco.

The banner was floated above the Civic Center Plaza with the help of several large helium balloons.

Photos Available at: http://usaphoto.greenpeace.org/sanfran