The City of Dallas is proud to announce the formation of a Business Climate Leadership Group through partnership with the City-Business Climate Alliance (CBCA). The first meeting of the leadership group took place on Nov. 3, 2022.
“We are honored to be named one of CBCA’s Cohort Cities. These strategic partnerships will be crucial to amplifying the impact of our business community’s climate efforts and our Comprehensive Environmental and Climate Action Plan. This alliance will also help establish Dallas and its businesses as national leaders in implementing data-driven climate solutions to promote a vibrant, healthy, and resilient city,” said Mayor Eric Johnson.
CBCA was formed by C40 Cities, CDP and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) as a joint initiative aimed at accelerating climate action through local city-business collaboration. The CBCA provides the most ambitious city and business leaders with a platform to convene, set joint commitments, co-create, and implement projects that help cities deliver on their Climate Action Plans and businesses on their climate targets in line with the Paris Agreement.
The Business Climate Leadership Group was created as a result of Dallas’s nomination as one of eight international cohort cities selected to participate in a three-year program with the CBCA. Dallas was chosen based on work that went into developing the Comprehensive Environmental & Climate Action Plan (CECAP), the current level of engagement with the local business community, and an interest in peer-to-peer exchange.
Mayor Eric Johnson signed a Letter of Intent for the City’s participation on June 30, 2020, and the City Council approved the partnership on December 9, 2020, through Council Resolution 20-2293.
In collaboration with CBCA, the Office of Environmental Quality & Sustainability (OEQS) has drawn on CDP disclosure data to identify and recruit a diverse group of local business leaders, including representatives from AIA Dallas, Smart Energy 360, CBRE, Toyota, Oncor, Dallas Innovation Alliance, the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce, Salesforce, and the Dallas Regional Chamber. The CDP business scan was used to identify these key climate leaders in Dallas. Members will contribute to advancing implementation of the CECAP while simultaneously supporting their own sustainability goals and sharing experiences and best practices. The group will support initiatives around four of the eight CECAP goals: Buildings, Energy, Transportation, and Zero-Waste, with a focus around building energy efficiency/net zero, electric vehicle infrastructure, and solar energy.
“CBRE is committed to building a more sustainable and just future for all, from our Dallas headquarters to every community where we live and work. We look forward to driving change in collaboration with the CBCA and sharing insights from the implementation of our own net zero carbon emissions strategy,” said Tim Dismond, Chief Responsibility Officer for CBRE.
The leadership group is also soliciting participation from other firms who may have an interest in contributing to smaller working groups focused on topics such as electric vehicles, solar, and building energy efficiency. OEQS invites any interested parties to reach out to Director Carlos Evans at carlos.evans@dallas.gov.
