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News Releases from Region 10

Microsoft Corporation and King County-Cities Climate Collaboration Recognized for Climate Action Leadership

03/10/2016
Contact Information: 
Suzanne Skadowski (skadowski.suzanne@epa.gov)
206-553-2160

(Seattle - March 10, 2016) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy and Regional Administrator Dennis McLerran recognized Microsoft Corporation and King County-Cities Climate Collaboration, among other organizations, with Climate Leadership Awards for their leadership and innovation in helping fight climate change. Climate Leadership Award winners were honored for managing and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in internal and supply chain operations, as well as integrating climate resilience into their operating strategies.

This is the 5th year of the annual Climate Leadership Awards, a partnership between EPA's Center for Corporate Climate Leadership, the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions and The Climate Registry. The awards were presented yesterday at the 2016 Climate Leadership Conference in Seattle, Washington.

"Our Climate Leadership Award winners are going above and beyond through their outstanding actions and dedication to reduce harmful carbon pollution that leads to climate change," said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. "Our award winners are leading the way towards a healthy environment, and demonstrate that meeting challenges of a changing climate can be done."

King County-Cities Climate Collaboration received the Innovative Partnerships Certificate for adopting a countywide GHG emissions reduction goal of 25 percent by 2020. King County and thirteen partner cities Bellevue, Burien, Issaquah, Kirkland, Mercer Island, Normandy Park, Redmond, Renton, Sammamish, Seattle, Shoreline, Snoqualmie, and Tukwila are collaborating through the King County-Cities Climate Collaboration to coordinate and enhance the effectiveness of local government climate and sustainability action.

Microsoft Corporation received the Organizational Leadership Award for establishing an internal carbon fee that funds energy upgrades, and more. Microsoft committed to make its operations carbon neutral, to achieve net zero emissions for data centers, software development labs, offices, and business air travel. To achieve this goal, Microsoft's internal carbon fee places a price on carbon to improve energy efficiency and increase purchase of renewable energy. The carbon fee is based on current market pricing for renewable energy and carbon offsets. Microsoft's business groups are financially responsible for the cost to offset their carbon emissions.

EPA's Center for Corporate Climate Leadership establishes standards of climate leadership by encouraging organizations with emerging climate objectives to identify and achieve cost-effective greenhouse gas emission reductions, while helping more advanced organizations drive innovations in reducing their greenhouse gas impacts in their supply chains and beyond. The Center provides technical tools, guidance, educational resources, and opportunities for information sharing and peer exchange among organizations interested in reducing the environmental impacts associated with climate change.

More information on the King County-Cities Climate Collaboration: www.kingcounty.gov/environment/climate/other-governments/climate-pledge.

More information on Microsoft's carbon fee and other sustainability efforts: www.microsoft.com/Environment/our-commitment/our-footprint.

More information about the 2016 Climate Leadership Award winners: www.epa.gov/climateleadership/2016-climate-leadership-award-winners.