全美最大城市的市長們舉辦一個氣候保護行動，希望能在2050年之前將溫室氣體排放量減少80%，但他們表示，此舉無法單靠自己的力量。2日在西雅圖舉辦的氣護保護高峰會，超過100位市長強調成立聯邦合作夥伴的重要性，以促進能源獨立，並減輕溫室效應帶來的衝擊。
主持此美國市長高峰會的西雅圖市長尼可斯(Greg Nickels)表示：「我們展示了在地方層級所能做到的氣候變遷努力，但是想要在2050年之前減少80%的溫室氣體排放量，我們需要聯邦政府的強烈支持。」
紐約市長彭博(Michael Bloomberg)呼籲，應課徵污染稅，以約束溫室氣體排放。彭博還說：「只要溫室氣體污染不課稅，就會越來越嚴重，如果我們想要減少排放，製造溫室氣體就必須付出代價。布希總統建議的自動自發目標，就像自願進行速限的一樣，注定失敗。」
與「總量管制與交易制度」(cap-and-trade)替碳排放設定一個價值相比，彭博指出：「直接課稅可以淘汰一些不明確的情況，讓企業直接面對總量管制。如此一來將更容易強制執行，也可以避免有心人士逃法律漏洞，更可以創造減稅的機會。」
彭博與其他市長呼籲增加氣候保護方面的研究與發展，並且提高燃料效率標準。
市長會議在1日發表與柯林頓氣候計劃(CCI)的合作聲明，CCI提供1100個美國市鎮，採購節能、清潔能源產品、及科技的大量折扣管道。此項跨足各種商品，從節能燈泡到環境友善建材的折扣，原先只提供C40城市氣候高峰會的成員使用，C40是世界上共同為氣候變遷努力的40個大的城市。
Mayors of the nation's largest cities are leading a climate protection movement that seeks to cut greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050 but say they cannot do it alone. At the Seattle Climate Protection Summit Friday, more than 100 mayors stressed the importance of forming a federal partnership to boost energy independence and avert the worst impacts of global warming.
"We are showing what is possible in light of climate change at the local level, but to reach our goal of 80 percent reductions in greenhouse gases by 2050, we need strong support from the federal government," said Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, who hosted the Summit jointly with the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg called for a pollution fee to discourage practices that generate heat-trapping greenhouse gases.
"As long as greenhouse gas pollution is free, it will be abundant," Bloomberg said. "If we want to reduce it, there has to be a cost for producing it. The voluntary targets suggested by President Bush would be like voluntary speed limits - doomed to fail."
Comparing a cap-and-trade system with putting a price on carbon emissions, Bloomberg said, "A direct charge would eliminate the uncertainty that companies would face in a cap-and-trade system. It would be easier to implement and enforce, it would prevent special interests from opening up loopholes, and, it would create an opportunity to cut taxes.
Bloomberg and other mayors called for increased research and development for climate protection and an increase in fuel efficiency standards.
On Thursday, the Conference of Mayors announced a new partnership with the Clinton Foundation's Climate Initiative, CCI, which will allow 1,100 U.S. cities to gain access to volume discounts on energy-efficient and clean-energy products and technologies through CCI's purchasing consortium.
This discount, on products ranging from energy efficient light bulbs to environmentally friendly building materials, was previously only available to participants of the C40 Large Cities Climate Leadership Group, a group of 40 of the world's largest cities that are working together to fight climate change.
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
