City Partnerships
The world's urban centers are home to much of its population - and responsible for much of its emissions. They are also the hubs where business and government can work together to put low carbon technologies in motion quickly. That's why we're helping New York City light up its streets with LEDs. And why we're partnering to improve energy efficiency and delivery across Greater Mumbai. We're focusing on the role of some of the world's biggest cities in demonstrating and delivering the public-private partnerships that will build up the low carbon economy.
Forward Chicago is a unique public-private partnership that brings together Chicago's corporate and non-profit communities to support the Chicago Climate Action Plan.
The Climate Group launched Forward Chicago in February 2009 in partnership with the City of Chicago and Chicago 2016. Together we're engaging Chicago's leading businesses in public-private partnerships that will deliver low-carbon technologies across the city and help deliver on the Chicago Climate Action Plan.
This partnership will help realize Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley's commitment to making Chicago one of the US' greenest and most environmentally-friendly cities.
What Forward Chicago will do
Participating companies will work with The Climate Group and local NGOs to implement LEDs pilot projects, smart building solutions, electric vehicle demonstrations and more.
These projects will help cut the city's emissions - while providing residents and businesses with new ways to adapt to climate change. These projects will serve as models for low-carbon economic growth and neighborhood development.
By scaling up and communicating these efforts, Forward Chicago will help Mayor Daley realize Chicago's initial goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050.
Areas of impact
Forward Chicago has identified three major environmental challenges facing Chicago's neighborhoods: urban heat island effect, open space and greening and flooding. Our projects will focus on the areas that experience these challenges the most.
Partners
In addition to the City of Chicago and Chicago 2016, we're working with a number of partners across the city. These partners will help showcase and support the environmental commitments - existing and new - of each participating company.
| Center for Neighborhood Technology | Friends of the Chicago River |
| Chicago Gateway Green | ICLEI |
| Chicago Public Schools | Wetlands Initiative |
| Environmental Law & Policy Center |
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The Climate Group and HSBC Climate Partnership are collaborative partners in the Mumbai Energy Alliance.
Conceptualized by the International Institute for Energy Conservation (IIEC), the MEA focuses on developing large-scale and collaborative energy efficiency projects in the world's most populous city. Its aim is to cut long-term energy costs and reduce emissions across the Greater Mumbai Region.
Launched in August 2009, the MEA's first focus will be developing and delivering improvements in Mumbai's electricity market.
What the MEA will do
Scale attract finance. That's the basic idea behind the MEA.
Based on the pioneering model of the Cambridge Energy Alliance, the Alliance works with a range of partners across the city to find innovative service delivery mechanisms to deliver energy efficiency programs.
The Alliance will work closely on these programs with the city's utilities and suppliers, as well as financial institutions, government, community-based organizations and the media. Together, we'll help develop and deliver large-scale energy efficiency programs citywide – from LED street-lighting and efficient space conditioning to building smart grids and pumping the municipal water supply.
Visit the Mumbai Energy Alliance website for more information and latest updates on this initiative.