After looking at several environment plans of Dutch cities (Amsterdam, among others) I have yet to hear about something really inventive from the Netherlands. Early this year, the Dutch minister of the environment decided to decline on being toured around in a environment friendly car, claiming it was "a too unfriendly work-environment". Doesn't really make a great example there. The Dutch have been navel-gazing for so long, it's getting positively embarrassing.

On a per capita basis, Portland and Multnomah County emissions have fallen thirteen percent since 1993, an achievement likely unequalled in any other major U.S. city. This is contrary to the national trend, where per capita emissions in the U.S. have increased slightly over the same period, with total greenhouse gas emissions up 13 percent.

The reduction is due in large part to:

The addition of two major light rail lines and the Portland Streetcar and 75% growth in public transit use since 1990.

The City of Portland's renewable energy purchase for more than 10% of its electricity use.

A recycling rate of 53%, among the highest in the nation.

The construction of nearly 40 high-performance green buildings.

The establishment of the Energy Trust of Oregon and consistent funding for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs.

The planting of over 750,000 trees and shrubs since 1996, improving the quality of local waterways as well as absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

The weatherization of 10,000 multifamily units and over 800 homes in two years.

Also, the mayor of Seattle (a bigger city for those who don't know) spearheaded the recent US Conference of Mayors unanimous adoption of a Climate Protection Agreement.  According to this  

During the meeting Nickels also accepted the U.S. Conference of Mayors' "2005 City Livability Award" for his Seattle Climate Protection Initiative. City Livability Awards recognize mayors for exemplary leadership in developing and implementing programs that improve the quality of life in their cities. Seattle won top honors in the category for cities over 100,000. Nickels' Climate Protection Initiative is a comprehensive program to improve Seattle's quality of life and reduce global warming pollution.

In looking up the above links I found a fascinating account of a more recent retreat on climate change put on for mayors at Robert Redford's Sundance Institute, with the great title The Revolution Will Be Localized.

{Organizer Michelle} Wyman was thrilled with the results of the conference, saying, "What happened over the course of the past three days will change the way U.S. cities consume resources and do business." She pledged that her organization would help implement the ideas that emerged, chronicle successes and failures, and organize annual follow-up summits.

Redford, too, was positively buoyant: "What gives me hope is that in politics, baby steps can lead to sea change," he told Muckraker. "The whole political system can be terribly sluggish, stalemated, constipated -- the barriers can seem insurmountable. But then all these distributed little pockets of inspiration slowly begin opening up, joining together, building a collective force, and can suddenly give way to tremendous momentum and change. That, I hope, is what's under way."