San Francisco Tops List of Climate-Friendly Cities

Canadian firm ranks three California cities among the US top ten

(Photo: Gretchen Weber)

The new ranking places San Francisco at number one because of its “political leadership and commitment” in the fight against climate change, according to the study’s author, Boyd Cohen of CO2 Impact, a Vancouver-based carbon offsets company. The city also has a “proactive” university community, lots of active clean-tech investors, and the largest number of LEED-certified buildings per capita in the country, he said.

Two other California cities made the top ten: San Diego in sixth place, and San Jose in ninth.

Cohen said he based the rankings on political commitment, green buildings, university leadership, transit access and use, clean tech investment, and greenhouse gas emissions. He concedes that makes the term “climate-ready” something of a misnomer, as most of the rated activities are intended more for “mitigation” than “adaptation,” that is more about reducing carbon emissions than actually preparing for the impacts of climate change. Cohen says rating cities on the latter is “tricky” because appropriate adaptation measures are different for every city.

Cohen, who says his firm works mostly in Latin America, says he has no client relationships with any cities on the list. He says he plans to continue with the national list and “make it more robust,” and has plans to issue a global ranking next month.

San Francisco Tops List of Climate-Friendly Cities 2 February,2018Gretchen Weber

2 thoughts on “San Francisco Tops List of Climate-Friendly Cities”

  1. The preposterous demonization of “carbon” [by which the scientifically illiterate mean carbon dioxide, a tiny trace gas comprising only 0.00039 of the air] continues, fueled by the $7 billion a year in federal government grants to “study climate change.”

    There is zero global damage – ZERO! – from CO2. This bogus scam has gone on way too long. It is nothing but looting taxpayers, and its enablers should be in the state penitentiary for fraud.

    And of course, KQED should be de-funded for promoting this pseudo-scientific nonsense.

  2. And of course, your first commenter should be featured so that everyone can get their laugh of the day.

    Seriously, I have real doubts about the viability of any of the plans, but especially the dreams of San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed. His plan is essentially put so far on the back burner that no one can reach it and it is all due to the current budget crisis that has overtaken almost all CA cities.

    We will solve the immediate problem, but at the expense of the next generation.

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