Environmental Protection Agency’s 2017 Climate Leadership Awards
(CHICAGO, IL) Last week, Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella) was recognized with a Climate Leadership Award by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). He was selected among a select handful of national industry professionals for exemplary leadership in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and climate action.
Other 2017 honorees include the United States Postal Service, IBM, Bank of America, NRG Energy and Sophia Mendelsohn, Director of Sustainability for JetBlue Airways. Past recipients ranged from the California Department of Water Resources, the University of California, Irvine, Microsoft, Sprint, Tiffany & Co. and SC Johnson & Son, Inc., to name a few.
The award ceremony took place in Chicago during the 6th Annual Climate Leadership Conference hosted by EPA, the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES), and the Climate Registry.
“This year’s Climate Leadership Award winners are helping lead the way to a more sustainable future. We hope their accomplishments will spur others to examine their practices and follow their example,” said Bob Perciasepe, President of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES).
Typically honorees are selected from the corporate sector. Assemblymember Garcia, newly appointed California Air Resources Board Member, was the only elected official selected for recognition. He was acknowledged for his legislative body of work and success passing AB 197, a historic measure that brought economically and environmentally disenfranchised communities to the forefront of California’s climate change policies.
“I am humbled to be recognized with this national Climate Leadership Award. When it comes to climate change, there are no ‘alternative facts’ and our efforts in California set out to shift climate dialogue from polar bears and melting ice caps to focus in on people and the all too real public health ramifications.” stated Assemblymember Garcia. “More than anything I wanted to advocate for my community and others like mine plagued with high numbers of respiratory diseases.”
Additionally, Assemblymember Garcia, the former Chair of the California Jobs, Economic Development and the Economy Committee participated in a panel discussion on “Driving Business and Economic Opportunity through Climate Leadership.” The panel was comprised of other EPA Climate Leadership honorees; JetBlue, Bank of America and NRG Energy.
“The hope is that both policy makers and industry can build upon our renewable energy achievements and push for further equity, transparency and spur technological advancements to create a more robust clean, green economy,” professed Assemblymember Garcia.
For more information on the award and other honorees, please visit:
https://www.epa.gov/climateleadership/2017-climate-leadership-award-winners
