The U.S. Conference of Mayors today presented Mayor Stephen Hagerty with Honorable Mention for its 2018 Mayors’ Climate Protection Award, which recognizes and honors mayors for their outstanding and innovative practices that increase energy efficiency, expand renewable energy, and reduce carbon emissions.

Mayor Hagerty accepted the award at the U.S. Conference of Mayors 86th annual meeting in Boston. “Evanston has long been a leader in climate action,” said Mayor Hagerty. “I’m proud to receive this award recognizing our city’s success in bringing the community together to plan around reducing our carbon emissions and ensuring that we are prepared for the threats of climate change.”

The award comes with a $10,000 prize, which will help fund the City’s climate protection efforts. Honorable Mentions were awarded to mayors of five other large cities: Minneapolis; New York City; Phoenix; San José; and West Palm Beach. The top winner in the large city category was Austin, Texas.

In August 2017, Mayor Hagerty announced the formation of a Climate Action and Resilience Plan (CARP) Working Group charged with developing the next iteration of the City’s climate action plan. To date, the City has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 25 percent relative to 2005 levels.

Mayor Hagerty has also joined municipal leaders from across the world in signing the Chicago Climate Charter, pledging to uphold the commitments of the Paris Climate Agreement. The mayor also committed to the Sierra Club’s Mayors for 100% Clean Energy initiative, supporting a community-wide transition to 100 percent renewable energy. In June 2017, Evanston signed a three-year contract for 100 percent renewable energy including 70 percent of all residents and small businesses.

Full descriptions of the 2018 Mayors’ Climate Protection Award winning programs can be found at www.usmayors.org/climateprotection/2018awards. 

For more information, please call/text 847-448-4311. For convenience, residents may simply dial 3-1-1 in Evanston.

Image: Evanston Mayor Stephen Hagerty receives the Honorable Mention plaque for the 2018 Mayors’ Climate Protection Award. Others present are Columbia, South Carolina Mayor Steve Benjamin, the incoming President of U.S. Conference of Mayors, far left; Kathleen McLaughlin, Chief Sustainability Officer for Wal-Mart; and Tom Cochran, CEO and Executive Director, U.S. Conference of Mayors, far right. The awards are co-sponsored by Walmart.

UPDATE: This story now includes the year that the three-year contract for 100 percent renewable energy was signed. It was signed in June 2017.