Posted on September, 30 2005

Washington, DC – The US cities of Aspen and Annapolis, along with NorskeCanada, a leading paper producer, have reached agreements with WWF-US and the Center for Energy & Climate Solutions (CECS) to reduce heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions.

WWF and CECS also announced that the International Business Machines Corp. (IBM), a participant in their Climate Savers programme, has surpassed its reduction target and avoided more than 1.28 million tons of CO2 emissions since the 1998 base year of its Climate Savers goal, saving US$115 million in reduced energy costs.

These efforts are part of the growing trend of businesses, states, and local communities taking direct action to address the challenge posed to nature and people by global warming. 

IBM and the cities of Aspen and Annapolis will receive awards from WWF for their leadership on October 3rd, the eve of a WWF business summit on climate. Participants at this meeting will include business leaders from Nike, Johnson & Johnson, HSBC, several electric power companies including Florida Power & Light, along with the mayors of Annapolis and Aspen. 
 
The City of Aspen's public utility has also joined WWF's PowerSwitch! programme, an initiative that challenges power companies and public utilities to support mandatory CO2 limits and commits them to providing consumers with clean energy. Aspen has pledged to buy at least 45 per cent of the community's power from environmentally-friendly energy sources (including wind and small, low-impact hydro power) by 2020, one of the largest proportions among US cities. 

"Aspen recognizes it stands to experience the impacts of global warming first-hand," said Helen Klanderud, mayor of Aspen, Colorado.

"Significant climate change will have disastrous effects on our economy and way of life. Do we want to tell our grandchildren we did nothing to protect their future? If other communities will join us in switching to renewable energy sources, we will make a difference." 
 
Annapolis, the capital of the US state of Maryland, has joined Power Switch! committing to purchase 20 per cent of the energy used by the city from renewable sources and increasing efficiency of city operations 15 per cent by 2020. The mayor will convene a task force of public and private leaders to develop a plan for implementing these new commitments.

The city currently requires that all new local government construction and renovations meet rigorous energy efficiency standards. It has added hybrid vehicles to its fleet and is installing an energy saving green roof on the new addition to the police station. 
 
"As a low lying city with 19 miles of shoreline, we are very concerned about global warming and a rise in sea level," said Annapolis Mayor Ellen Moyer.

"The good news is that if we act now, we can protect our communities and the environment. Reducing emissions doesn't just combat climate change; it makes the air we 
breathe cleaner." 

Having already achieved an estimated 20 per cent reduction in global CO2 emissions through energy conservation efforts from 1990 to 1997, IBM further reduced the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the company's annual energy use by the equivalent of an average of 5.7 per cent from 1998 to 2004, exceeding its Climate Savers commitment of a 4 per cent average annual reduction. This achievement is the result of energy conservation efforts and the use of renewable energy sources alone, and does not reflect additional CO2 emissions savings from consolidations and restructuring.

Savings from IBM's efforts since 1998 equal taking 51,600 midsize cars that travel 10,000 miles per year off the road. Energy was conserved through simple efforts as well as more complex initiatives. Examples of the projects implemented ranged from installing motion detectors in bathrooms and copier rooms and changing temperature set points in office areas to rebalancing heating and cooling systems and rebuilding and resizing high purity water pumping systems in semiconductor manufacturing lines.

IBM also updated its former headquarters building in New York State to meet ENERGY STAR Building criteria. Its new headquarters building in Zurich-Alstetten, Switzerland received the "Minergie" label for building energy efficiency, and the company has relied primarily on renewable energy such as wind, solar, and biomass in the UK. 

"While some assume that cutting CO2 emissions costs businesses money, we have found just the opposite," said Wayne Balta, IBM Vice President for Corporate Environmental Affairs and Product Safety.

"Addressing climate change makes business sense. We have saved more than US$100 million since 1998 by conserving energy. When you consider the significant environmental benefits also achieved, cutting emissions is a
win-win proposition." 

By 2010, WWF Climate Savers companies will collectively reduce carbon pollution by some 9 million tons annually, approximately the amount generated by 2 million cars or 800,000 houses each year. 
 
The world's largest directory paper producer, NorskeCanada Paper (soon to be known as Catalyst Paper) joined Climate Savers today, pledging to reduce its CO2 emissions 70 per cent below its 1990 levels by the year 2010 — one of the most significant reductions committed to by a public company. The company also makes mechanical printing papers used in catalogues, magazines, ad inserts, and daily newspapers.
 
Having already significantly reduced CO2 emissions, the company has committed to cut them even further through lower energy consumption, fuel switching from fossil fuels to biomass, better equipment efficiency, and monthly tracking of CO2 emissions.
 
"Saving energy and combating climate change go hand and hand," said Lyn Brown, NorskeCanada Vice President for Corporate Affairs & Social Responsibility.

"We know that by making smart choices about fuel use, we lower greenhouse gas emissions, increase air quality and reduce operating costs. In the last two years alone we cut our fossil fuel use by 36 per cent, the equivalent of 600,000 barrels of oil per year, saving us millions in energy costs." 
 
"WWF's Climate Savers program will help us stay focused on future climate impacts as we make day-to-day operating decisions," she added.

"The debate over whether global warming is happening is over," said Hans Verolme, director of the Climate Change Programme at WWF-US.
 
"These companies get the message and are taking action, benefiting people and nature. I applaud these leaders for working with us be part of the solution."

END NOTES:

• In partnership with the Center for Energy and Climate Solutions (CECS), WWF works with businesses in its Climate Savers and PowerSwitch! initiatives to set new and unparalleled concrete commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The nine Climate Savers partners include: The Collins Companies, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Lafarge, NorskeCanada, Nike, Polaroid, Sagawa Express, and Xanterra Parks & Resorts.
 
• The WWF PowerSwitch! Challenge is for power companies and public utilities to support binding limits on national CO2 emissions; and undertake one or more of the following action targets: renewables as the source for 20 per cent of their electricity sold by 2020, or increase energy efficiency by 15 per cent by 2020, or retire the least efficient half of coal generation by 2020.

• The seven PowerSwitch! pioneers are Austin Energy, Burlington Electric, the City of Annapolis, the City of Aspen, Florida Power & Light Company, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, and Waverly Light and Power. 
 
• The Center for Energy and Climate Solutions is a one-stop-shop for companies seeking guidance, tools, and services to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase energy efficiency. Staff at the Center includes recognized experts in key areas: energy-efficiency building upgrades, cogeneration, motor efficiency and industrial process improvement, renewable energy, and environmental regulations such as the Clean Air Act.