An Energy Partnership Climate Solution for Tucson?

30 Minutes features John Farrell, director of the Energy Self-Reliant States and Communities program at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance in Minneapolis, and Ron Proctor Co-Chair of Sustainable Tucson and Co-Chair of the City of Tucson Climate Change Advisory Committee. The Institute for local Self-Reliance in Minneapolis has been party to a first-in-the-nation partnership between the City of Minneapolis and their local electricity and gas utilities. Like Tucson, over 60% of their greenhouse gases come from these sources. They have agreed to cooperate to reduce the City’s greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050. Science is telling us this is the scale of reduction necessary to have a 50/50 chance of stabilizing climate change.

More information on John Farrell’s visit to Tucson can be found here. Imagine the City of Tucson joined in a “clean energy partnership” with Tucson Electric Power and Southwest Gas, sharing a goal to reduce greenhouse gases in our region 80% by 2050 and “do our part” to stem the worst effects of global warming. Imagine the local jobs created in the solar industry, energy storage and clean mobility, energy efficiency, building retrofits and appropriate design.

Imagine the partnership is made up of high-level representatives of TEP and SWG as well as from the Mayor’s office and City Council – with the Board be made up of decision-makers from their respective organizations.

Just such a partnership has already begun in Minnesota between the City of Minneapolis, Xcel Energy (their electricity provider) and CenterPoint Energy (their natural gas supplier).