SIMPLE ECONOMICS:

Burlington, the biggest city in Vermont, has been running on 100 percent renewable energy since 2014. But it's what has happened since then that's really exciting.

Burlington Electric, the city's utility company, recently got an unexpected surprise: an increase in its credit rating, giving it more financial power and flexibility. Why the boost? Creditors anticipate that as CO2 regulations proliferate, and dirty energy (like coal, which Burlington used to run on) offers diminishing returns, cities' reliance on fossil fuels will increasingly become a financial liability. Switching to renewable sources, on the other hand, is seen by creditors like Burlington's as a more resilient fiscal strategy. It's the kind of emerging dynamic that could push more cities to follow the Vermont city's lead -- if not for the climate, then out of concern for their own bottom lines.

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