July 2006 Issue

Texas Cities for Climate Protection Conference Held
at University of Texas at Arlington

Mayors and health and environmental officers from cities as far away as El Paso and McAllen, along with representatives from the North Central Texas Council of Governments attended the June 30 Texas Cities for Climate Protection meeting hosted by Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck at the Chemistry and Physics Building of The University of Texas at Arlington.

The UT Arlington School of Urban and Public Affairs co-sponsored the conference, which featured addresses by Dr. Catherine Thomasson, president-elect of Physicians for Social Responsibility, and Michelle Wyman, executive director of ICLEI- Local Governments for Sustainability USA. ICLEI is a global leader in driving local action to create a model for national change, from developing sustainability plans in Telluride, Colorado, to Kobe, Japan. Globally, more than 650 local governments participate in ICLEI's Cities for Climate Protection Program.

Mayor Cluck, who is a medical doctor, opened the conference by sharing his concerns about global warming. After presenting convincing documentation, he conceded that some people deny the seriousness of the warming pattern, but those doubts are irrelevant. “If it's just a global cycle and we take it seriously anyway, the worst thing that happens is that we improve air quality dramatically," Mayor Cluck said. "If it's real, then we have the potential to eventually avert a true planetary catastrophe."

Other program participants included Tom “Smitty” Smith, director of Public Citizen’s Texas office; Dallas Mayor Laura Miller and Regional Director of the United States Environmental Protection Agency Richard Greene.

In addition to statistics on global warming and its effect on the polar ice caps, drought, violent storms and infectious disease, participants discussed air quality with emphasis on ozone levels and the effect on asthma and other respiratory illnesses. They also heard information about options available now to improve air quality and reduce increases in global warming: options that also provide economic benefits to the community.

Mayors in the meeting agreed to follow closely the permitting process for the 11 new coal-burning power plants slated for construction in Texas and to attempt to influence the firms to use modern processes to reduce global warming and air pollution. Currently, Texas leads the nation in the emission of carbon dioxide and mercury from coal plants. In fact, Texas coal plants emit more than 10 percent of the nation’s power plant mercury.

Reprinted with permission of the Office of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Arlington Newsletter

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