CCWI at the 3rd World Water Forum
in Kyoto, Japan

CCWI was selected as a finalist in the World Water Action Contest. Mike Sandler attended the Forum, held in Kyoto, Japan the week of March 16-23, 2003 and gave a presentation to a panel of international water experts on CCWI’s Water and Climate Project, which addresses the impacts of water use and wastewater treatment in Sonoma County on climate change. The Sonoma County Climate Protection Campaign is a partner organization of the project. Below are photos of the trip.

The four-story pagoda at To-ji, Kyoto, Japan, with cherry blossoms blooming.	Mike and the Water and Climate Poster. To read the text of the poster, click here.
The Kyoto International Conference Hall, site of the Forum. This is also where the Kyoto Protocol was created.	The Main Conference Hall.
The Water Action Contest.	Mike with the Directors of the Australia and New Zealand, and Japan offices of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI).
Kyoto City Hall	From the left, Mr. Fumiaki Utaka, Chief of the Global Environmental Policy Section, Environment Bureau of Kyoto City; Mr. Daniel Rutherford, Fulbright Scholar from Stanford, who translated during our meeting; Mike; and Mr. Kenichi Hasegawa, Director of the Environment Bureau. We discussed local implementation of the Kyoto Protocol, and the actions Sonoma County is taking as part of the Sonoma County Climate Protection Campaign.
Mike presents a Proclamation of Greetings from the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors to Mr. Tsutomu Uehara, Director General of the Kyoto City Environment Bureau. For the text of the Proclamations, click here.	Mike presents a Proclamation of Greetings from the Mayor of Santa Rosa to Mr. Tsutomu Uehara, Director General of the Kyoto City Environment Bureau.
Mike presents a Proclamation of Greetings from the Sebastopol City Council to Mr. Tsutomu Uehara, Director General of the Kyoto City Environment Bureau.	A Shinto Shrine in East Kyoto near the Path of Philosophy.

Text of the Water and Climate Poster:

1) The Problem: Climate Change, California, and Water
Global climate change is one of the greatest threats to water resources and ecosystems over the next century. Climate change is expected to impact water resources and water availability in the western United States, including altering snowmelt patterns in the Sierra Nevada mountains and threatening coastal aquifers, which together account for a majority of California's water supply. Although the U.S. population represents approximately 5 percent of the world's total, it accounts for over 25 percent of the emissions that cause global climate change. Clearly, we are obliged to take action.

2) Local Solutions
Local governments in our region of California set a national precedent in 2002 when Sonoma County and all nine of its cities pledged by resolution to quantify and reduce the ghg emissions resulting from their operations. The County adopted a goal of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent from the year 2000 to 2010. Sonoma State University, several high schools, businesses, and other organizations have also made similar resolutions.

3) Water Use Reduction is a Big Opportunity
Analysis by the City of Santa Rosa revealed 40,000 tons of CO2 equivalent emissions resulted from City operations in 2001-2. Approximately 20,000 tons were attributable to the City's Water and Sewer operations, the largest single source. As an example of actions taken to meet its ghg emission reduction goals, the City has installed energy efficient aeration fans at its Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant. These aeration blowers will use 4 million kWh less energy per year, saving the city $400,000 per year for 20 years, and reducing their greenhouse gas emissions by 1200 tons/ year, equivalent to the electricity use of 600 single family homes, or 13 trips to the moon in a 25 mpg car.

4) CCWI's Climate and Water Project
CCWI has been instrumental in raising awareness of the problem of climate change, and in encouraging cities to take action. The Climate and Water Project has:
- Helped 11 local governments pass climate change resolutions, in partnership with the Sonoma County Climate Protection Campaign, and ICLEI- the International Council on Local Environmental Initiatives,
- Conducted a study of energy efficiency opportunities for wastewater treatment plants.
Currently, the Project is working to:
- Develop between one and five local initiatives involving water use and water efficiency which will result in a net reduction of 2,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year.
- Produce a comprehensive detailed analysis of the greenhouse gas emissions produced by the water and wastewater systems in 10 local jurisdictions.
- Continue our education and outreach campaign to individuals, schools, churches, businesses, water agencies, and local governments on how climate will affect California's water supply, along with easy ways to reduce ghg emissions through water use and water efficiency.

Proclamation from the City of Sebastopol for Presentation to the 3rd World Water Forum in Kyoto, Japan- signed February 25, 2003

WHEREAS, the 3rd World Water Forum is taking place March 16-23, 2003 in Kyoto, Japan; and
WHEREAS, Mike Sandler of the Community Clean Water Institute, as a finalist in the World Water Action Contest will be making a presentation at the World Water Forum on Climate and Water, and will mention the City of Sebastopol's leadership in the Sonoma County Climate Protection; and
WHEREAS, the City of Sebastopol is a participant in the Cities for Climate Protection Campaign and has pledged to take a leadership role in promoting public awareness about the causes and impacts of climate change; and
WHEREAS, the City of Sebastopol recognizes the important link between water use, water efficiency, and a City's impact on climate change;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Sebastopol extends greetings to the World Water Council and the Secretariat of the 3rd World Water Forum, to the Mayor of Kyoto, and to the distinguished representatives who will be carrying on the vital dialogue on Climate and Water which is a key to sustainability in the 21st century; and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED, by the City of Sebastopol, that we wish Mike Sandler of the Community Clean Water Institute well in the World Water Action Contest, whose presentation on Climate and Water mentions the City of Sebastopol's leadership in the Sonoma County Climate Protection Campaign; and
RESOLVED, that the City Council looks forward to hearing about and learning from the conclusions, results, and outcomes of the World Water Forum, and hopes to incorporate them into its operations in order to achieve the goals of the City, including increased water and energy efficiency, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and the associated economic savings leading towards sustainability.

Proclamation from the City of Santa Rosa for Presentation to the 3rd World Water Forum in Kyoto, Japan-
WHEREAS, the 3rd World Water Forum is taking place March 16-23, 2003 in Kyoto, Japan; and
WHEREAS, Mike Sandler of the Community Clean Water Institute, as a finalist in the World Water Action Contest will be making a presentation at the World Water Forum on Climate and Water, and will mention the City of Santa Rosa's leadership in the Sonoma County Climate Protection; and
WHEREAS, the City of Santa Rosa is a participant in the Cities for Climate Protection Campaign and has pledged to take a leadership role in promoting public awareness about the causes and impacts of climate change. The City of Santa Rosa recognizes the important link between water use, water efficiency, and a City's impact on climate change;
WHEREAS, the City of Santa Rosa extends greetings to the World Water Council and the Secretariat of the 3rd World Water Forum, to the Mayor of Kyoto, and to the distinguished representatives who will be carrying on the vital dialogue on Climate and Water which is a key to sustainability in the 21st century.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that I, Sharon Wright, Mayor of the City of Santa Rosa, and the Santa Rosa City Council, wish Mike Sandler of the Community Clean Water Institute well in the World Water Action Contest, whose presentation on Climate and Water mentions the City of Santa Rosa's leadership in the Sonoma County Climate Protection Campaign. We look forward to hearing about and learning from the conclusions, results, and outcomes of the World Water Forum, and hopes to incorporate them into its operations in order to achieve the goals of the City, including increased water and energy efficiency, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and the associated economic savings leading towards sustainability.

Proclamation from the County of Sonoma for Presentation to the 3rd World Water Forum in Kyoto, Japan

WHEREAS, the 3rd World Water Forum is taking place March 16-23, 2003 in Kyoto, Japan; and
WHEREAS, Mike Sandler of the Community Clean Water Institute, as a finalist in the World Water Action Contest, will be making a presentation at the World Water Forum on Climate and Water, and will mention the County of Sonoma's leadership in the Sonoma County Climate Protection; and
WHEREAS, the County of Sonoma is a participant in the Climate Protection Campaign and has pledged to take a leadership role in promoting public awareness about the causes and impacts of climate change; and
WHEREAS, the County of Sonoma recognizes the important link between water use, water efficiency, and a County's impact on climate change;
WHEREAS, the County of Sonoma extends greetings to the World Water Council and the Secretariat of the 3rd World Water Forum, to the Mayor of Kyoto, and to the distinguished representatives who will be carrying on the vital dialogue on Climate and Water which is a key to sustainability in the 21st century; and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Supervisors wishes Mike Sandler of the Community Clean Water Institute well in the World Water Action Contest, congratulates him on his outstanding effort and looks forward to hearing about his success in this auspicious contest.

Information from the Water and Climate brochure:

Why Water and Climate Change?

According to the City of Santa Rosa's GHG emissions inventory, emissions associated with City operations have increased by 11 percent over the past nine years. When emissions from the Laguna Wastewater Treatment Plant are added in, the increase jumps to 40 percent.

The GHG emissions analysis revealed that the water/sewer sector surpassed the emissions of the 5 sectors of buildings, vehicle fleet, employee commute, waste, and traffic signals/streetlights combined.

Source: www.ci.santa-rosa.ca.us

Opportunities:

" Efficiency measures can reduce GHG emissions by reducing water use or increasing wastewater reuse, and reducing the distance water must be pumped for treatment and use. It is estimated that municipal utilities can cost-effectively save more energy than the entire country of Thailand consumes in a year.
" GHG emissions can be reduced at wastewater treatment plants by capturing methane from holding ponds. Methane (also known as natural gas) is a fuel source, and can be converted to hydrogen via anaerobic processes. Localities can make use of methane to create electricity on-site through cogeneration.
" Over 10 billion BTUs of energy from methane could be produced every year at a single plant, transforming wastewater treatment plants from a source of pollution into a major source of energy. By extracting hydrogen and methane from their wastewaters, plants can reap significant savings by not needing to aerate. Aeration makes up 20 to 80 percent of wastewater treatment costs.

Resources:

"Water: The Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change for the Water Resources of the United States" available at www.pacinst.org/naw.html

"Watergy: Taking Advantage of Untapped Energy and Water Efficiency Opportunities in Municipal Water Systems" available at www.ase.org

Sonoma County Climate Protection Campaign www.skymetrics.us

California Climate Registry- www.climateregistry.org

ICLEI- International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives www.iclei.org

Provimetrics, Inc. www.provimetrics.com

Penn State Researchers Turn Wastewater into Hydrogen
http://www.psu.edu/ur/2003/wastewater.html

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