From Deseret News archives:
Rocky helps British fight pollution
The British government is picking up the tab for Anderson, who is becoming a highly sought expert on how local governments can implement pollution-reducing policies to curb the effects of climate change.
The mayor has already attended the U.N. Conference of Parties environmental summits in New Delhi, India, and Buenos Aires, Argentina.
This time Anderson will head to Britain to aid staffers developing an agenda for the G8 (Group of Eight most industrialized nations in the world: the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain, Russia). Together the eight countries account for more than two-thirds of the world's economic output.
While the 2005 G8 summit in Scotland won't take place until July, Anderson has been summoned to help planners fashion a summit program that outlines what governments can do to fight pollution that leads to a hotter climate.
Under Anderson, Salt Lake City Corp. has purchased renewable wind power, put low-watt bulbs in city light fixtures and replaced green, yellow and red traffic-light bulbs with more energy-efficient alternatives.
The city is also working to keep its vehicle fleet clean and has purchased three-wheeled natural gas vehicles for many of its parking enforcement officers.
In a statement Thursday, Anderson criticized the Bush administration for not taking a more active role in fighting global warming. Anderson has said current trends in global warming could wipe out Utah's ski industry in the coming decades.
"There is greater global awareness than ever before regarding the importance of local government's role in ending climate change, particularly when there is a complete lack of national leadership on this vital issue, as has been the case since President Bush was first elected," he said. "We are honored to be an example of what can be at the local level and hope that the G8 Summit in July will encourage other governments at the local and national level to take action now, thus preventing global climate catastrophe."
E-mail: bsnyder@desnews.com
