Nutter hanging in Rio

Being mayor has its privileges.

Nutter is in Rio de Janiero, Brazil today with EPA chief Lisa Jackson (who used to run New Jersey's environmental agency) to establish the U.S.-Brazil Joint Venture on Urban Sustainability.

They are being joined by private industry, academia, non-profit and other government representatives in the venture, announced in March by President Obama and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff. The idea is to illustrate the "economic, environmental and health benefits of green cities."

Nutter talks often about making Philadephia the greenest city in the U.S. He's backed up his talk with Greenworks Philadelphia, the city's sustainability plan, and a 25-year, $2 billion initiative called Green City, Clean Water to deal with stormwater. The stormwater plan is awaiting federal approval. Nutter also serves on the U.S Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Advisory Commitatee.

As host of the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics, Brazil is looking at making $200 billion in infrastructure improvements that could be used to demonstrate and promote sustainable development.

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