Clinton project will help cities go green

More than 1,000 US cities will be able to save money on green products and technology after teaming up with Bill Clinton's climate project.


President Clinton announced that the US Conference of Mayors and retail giant Wal-Mart have joined forces with the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) to enable the cities to get discounts on products offered by CCI’s purchasing consortium.

A total of 1,100 cities in North America will now be able to get lower prices on hundreds of items ranging from energy-efficient lightbulbs to environmentally-friendly building materials in a bid to reduce the carbon footprint of the country’s major urban areas.

President Clinton, who launched the CCI last year as part of the Clinton Foundation, said: “Climate change is a global issue that we must address immediately if we are to reverse its catastrophic effects.

“I am pleased that the US Conference of Mayors, Wal-Mart and many businesses are working with my foundation to supply energy-efficient and clean-energy products.

“By offering these products at a discounted rate, we can ensure that more cities and citizens have access to them and that the market for clean-energy technology will grow.

“Together, I hope that we can have a measurable impact on greenhouse gas emissions around the world.”

Wal-Mart and CCI plan to use their combined purchasing power to further drive down the prices of green technologies and work together to develop new energy-efficient products, such as improved lighting fixtures for parking lots.

The discount had previously only been available to members of the C40 Large Cities Climate Leadership Group – a collection of 40 of the world’s largest cities, including London, that are working together to fight climate change.

London Mayor Ken Livingstone, chair of the C40, welcomed President Clinton’s announcement.

He said: “By working together in ways such as this, cities are putting themselves at the forefront of the fight to prevent catastrophic climate change.”

Kate Martin

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