Working Toward Quality of Life

Mayor Chávez is proud of what Albuquerque has accomplished. He believes that each of us can make a promise to sustainability as a way of life for our children. Read the Mayor's Message >>

Green Leadership

You might be surprised to learn what Albuquerque has already done to ensure life in the Rio Grande Valley is sustainable for future generations.

The list is long, but our work together is not over.

Leadership  & Accomplishments

Albuquerque's Mayor Martin J. Chávez has been a longtime leader in the drive to create a vibrant economy and a self-renewing, healthy environment.

Here are some highlights of his leadership efforts:

 2008

• The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Siemens honored The City of Albuquerque with a Sustainable Community Award in the Large Community category for AlbuquerqueGreen, a comprehensive sustainability plan backed by Mayor Martin J. Chávez that provides the vision and tools for energy conservation, clean energy production and use, and conservation technologies.
• Mayor Martin Chávez hosts the 2008 ICLEI Local Action Summit - North America. The ICLEI Local Action Summit - North America brings together mayors and local elected officials, environmental policy leaders, and the business community who are leading climate and sustainability efforts at the local level.
• Mayor Chávez signs Executive Order No. 24 prohibiting City agencies from purchasing single serving bottles of water.
• The City of Albuquerque has been selected as the winner of the inaugural Siemens Sustainable Community Award.
• Home Builders Association of Central N.M. recognized Mayor Martin Chávez with the Build Green Leadership Award.

2007

• On behalf of his hometown, Mayor Chávez proudly accepted the 2007 Green Champion Award from the New Mexico Association of Energy Engineers.
• Mayor Cited as a Cool Mayor by the Mayors for Climate Protection - Mayor Chávez is cited as "The Visionary" for his sustainable water vision, Urban Forestry program, and Albuquerque's world class bike paths.
• The Albuquerquegreen initiative placed first at the U.S. Conference of Mayors inaugural Climate Protection Awards.
• Mayor Chávez hosted the Best Green Practices summit in Albuquerque.

2006

• Albuquerque won a World Leadership Award for its efforts to secure a sustainable water supply.
• Mayor Chávez hosted Albuquerque's first Technology Summit to promote innovation and economic development.
• Mayor Chávez was pleased to host the Sustainable Energy Town Hall in Albuquerque. View the report.
• Mayor Chávez joined Al Gore and select civic leaders at A Climate of Change: The Seattle Initiative on Global Warming.
• Mayor Chávez moderated a session on green building at the The U.S. Conference of Mayors’ National Summit on Energy and the Environment in Chicago.
• Mayor Chávez moderated a session on green building at the The U.S. Conference of Mayors’ National Summit on Energy and the Environment in Chicago.
• Mayor Chávez issued Executive Order 19 which directs that all purchases of motor vehicles by the City shall be limited to alternative fuel vehicles, effective March 1, 2006.
• Mayor Chávez signed legislation to set aside 3% of city bond revenues for energy conservation and renewables. This legislation passed the City Council in September, 2006. The program starts in fiscal year 2007 and continues through 2011.
• Mayor Chávez, together with mayors from Chicago, Seattle, and Miami, submitted Resolution No. 50 which urged the U.S. Conference of Mayors to adopt the 2030 Challenge designed to fossil fuels used by the building sector. Their goal is that the building industry become carbon-neutral by 2030.
• Mayor Chávez was a keynote speaker at Sustainability: Theory Into Practice, a conference sponsored by the Albuquerque Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and the New Mexico Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council. The conference highlighted hands on approaches to incorporating sustainable practices into our development and building practices. 

2005

• Mayor Chávez was the first mayor in New Mexico to sign the U.S. Conference Mayors Climate Protection Agreement was one of the first to sign on nationwide.The agreement was signed in 2005 by the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
• Mayor Chávez hosted the USCM Urban Water Council in Albuquerque.
• Mayor Chávez spoke at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Montreal, Canada.
• Mayor Chávez spearheaded efforts to save 250 acres of land along the Rio Grande Bosque from private development.
• Mayor Chávez directed that city agencies work with private industry to recruit "green building supply industries" to Albuquerque.

2004

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  Planting & Maintaining Trees

  Since 1983, the Open Space Division has planted over 23,000 cottonwood and willow trees in the Rio Grande bosque.

  Learn about healthy trees >> 

  Mayor Chávez launched a major Urban Forest Improvement Initiative. He commissioned the development of the City Urban Forest Master Plan, Tree Protection and Technical Manual, and a complete park and median tree inventory. This inventory is complete. This initiative also resulted in:
  
  • An Urban Forestry program to regulate and manage the City's 160,000 trees
  • Hiring of a full-time City Forester
  • Funding to plant 2000 trees per year in Albuquerque
  • Mayor Chávez convened the first-ever regional air quality stakeholders’ summit and an “Air Knows No Bounds” campaign.
  • Mayor Chávez is a member and co-chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayor's Urban Water Council.
  • Mayor Chávez was  presented the Mayor of Trees Award by the National Alliance for Community Trees and Tree New Mexico.

2003

• Mayor Chávez was part of a group of mayors from across the country who issued the bi-partisan Mayors Statement on Global Warming.

• Secured a sustainable water supply by implementing the San Juan-Chama water project in 2003. 

Partnerships and Collaboration

Our work together is ongoing. Here are some of the ways, the City collaborates with other organizations to make sure that life in Albuquerque is sustainable for everyone.

• The City has established management systems that support improvement processes by developing community partnerships with the Albuquerque community at large and oversight agencies.
• Mayor Martin J. Chávez created the Mayor’s E-Team to enhance implementation of sustainability initiatives within the Albuquerque City government and the Albuquerque community.
• Albuquerque is an active member of U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Cities program.
• Office of Economic Development is now conducting a “Sustainable Legacy Plan” to implement and codify the programs proposed to assure success of the Sustainable Resource Analysis.
• City coordinates with the Indicators Progress Commission to report on citywide sustainability measures.
• The City also coordinates with the Energy Council on energy conservation initiatives.
• Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Air Quality Control Board oversees air quality issues.
• Ground-Water Protection Advisory Board oversees implementation of the Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Ground-Water Protection Plan.