The Sierra Club broke tradition and gave its national leadership in government award to King County Executive Ron Sims and Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels for their work to reduce global warming.

The Edgar Wayburn Award for outstanding government work to benefit the environment traditionally goes to elected and appointed federal government leaders.

The Sierra Club executive director Carl Pope said Sims and Nickels were the nation's best example of vision and leadership on global warming.

"I'm truly honored and humbled by this award and glad to share it with Mayor Nickels," said Sims. "This confirms that innovation and good policy at the local level can bubble up and truly make an impact nationally."