[greenyes] Urban Environmental Accords - Collective effort to save our cities and our planet

[Bill Callahan <tamalpais@no.address>]

This year's upcoming United Nations World Environment Day theme is "Green
Cities ­ Plan for the Planet!". In less than two weeks mayors from around
the world will join together in San Francisco to sign a set of environmental
actions for their cities. These actions are part of the Urban Environmental
Accords or Green Cities Declaration. The Accords are intended to function as
a progressive learning process toward sustainability. Signatory cities shall
work to implement the Urban Environmental Accords. The Accords identify 21
actions cities can take to meet the needs of today without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet their own needs, or the health of the
planet. Each of the 21 actions are based in part upon one of the following
action categories: Energy, Waste Reduction, Urban Design, Urban Nature,
Transportation, Environmental Health, and Water. If you are not familiar
with the United Nations World Environment Day commemorated annually on June
5th since 1972, or Urban Environmental Accords, visit the World Environment
Day web site: 
http://www.wed2005.org

As of a week ago the following cities had confirmed their participation at
WED 2005: Ahmedabad (India), Assisi (Italy), Bahia de Caraquez (Ecuador),
Barcelona (Spain), Berkeley (USA), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Cape Town
(South Africa), Caracas (Venezuela), Changchun (China), Chongqing (China),
Copenhagen (Denmark), Curitiba (Brazil), Dakar (Senegal), Delhi (India),
Dhaka (Bangladesh), Dublin (Ireland), Gampaha (Sri Lanka), Hyderabad
(India), Islamabad (Pakistan), Istanbul (Turkey), Jakarta (Indonesia), Kabul
(Afghanistan), Kampala (Uganda), Kawasaki (Japan), Kitakyushu (Japan), Kiev
(Ukraine), Kolkata (India), Kozhikode (India), Lausanne (Switzerland),
Lisbon (Portugal), London (United Kingdom), Lurin (Peru), Lyon (France),
Manila (Philippines), Matale (Sri Lanka), Minsk (Belarus), Moscow (Russia),
Mumbai (India), Oakland (USA), Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Porto Alegre (Brazil),
Qingdao (China), Quito (Ecuador), Riga (Latvia), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil),
Salt Lake City (USA), San Francisco (USA), San Miguel de Allende (Mexico),
Santa Monica (USA), São Paulo (Brazil), Seattle (USA), Shanghai(China),
Shenyang(China), Sinaia (Romania), Stockholm (Sweden), Surabaya (Indonesia),
Taipei (Taiwan), Taiyuan (China), Tehran (Iran), Thessaloniki (Greece),
Torino (Italy), Warsaw (Poland), Wuhan (China), Yogyakarta (Indonesia), Zibo
(China) and, Zürich (Switzerland).

Just over half of the world¹s people now live in cities. Urban populations
consume 75 per cent of the world¹s natural resources and produce 75 per cent
of its waste. If your city was not invited, or if it was invited but listed
as confirmed above, it doesn't mean your city can't take the accords to
heart and act on them. I encourage all to learn about these accords and take
action to support them by promoting a resolution affirming your city's full
commitment to Urban Environmental Accords.

With a collective worldwide effort we just might make our cities a better
place to live, for us, our children and future generations.

Bill Callahan
Tamalpais NatureWorks
www.tamalpais.com

PS We will be there, at the Green Cities Expo. If you come, stop by and say
hello.