November 2020 – Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh

Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh

Dear Colleagues,

I’m very proud to be named new Chair of the Climate Mayors. As mayors, we’re close to the people we serve. We see how climate change is already impacting the residents in our cities, and we know how important it is to take decisive action for the sake of public safety and public health. American cities have led on climate action for a long time, and especially over the last four years. I thank you all for your leadership and partnership. As we welcome a new Federal administration that is committed to urgent, bold climate policies, I look forward to accelerating our efforts together with all of you.

I am grateful to Mayor Eric Garcetti for his leadership of this network over the last seven years. He ensured the sustained growth and impact of the Climate Mayors. As he continues to lead C40, our two networks will build on our close partnership in order to pursue ambitious action in our cities and drive an equally ambitious national and international climate agenda.

I also want to thank Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner for his continued leadership as Co-Chair of the Climate Mayors. As Mayor of the “Energy Capital of the World,” Mayor Turner has prioritized the transition to clean energy and building more resilient communities at the center of his agenda. I look forward to continuing our work together as we expand the reach of our network.

We are at a pivotal moment in our nation’s history, with the ongoing global pandemic. As a country, our recovery efforts must be rooted in equity and sustainability. As we rebuild our economy, we need to focus on green jobs. We need to look at the economic and social conditions that made some populations more vulnerable to COVID-19, especially people of color, immigrants, and low-income families. Those same populations are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Now is the time to heal our nation, by investing in long-term community health and wellbeing. Climate action must be central to our national COVID-19 recovery, and our efforts to dismantle systemic racism.

Engaging with Washington on the national response to COVID-19 will be a top priority for the Climate Mayors moving forward. We should also continue working to strengthen our partnerships with other climate networks, including the C40, the US Conference of Mayors, and the Urban Sustainability Directors Network. We need to continue building a broad coalition around this work. We need to show that everyone stands to benefit from climate action, and everyone has a role to play in making it happen. We should also keep creating more leadership opportunities within the Climate Mayors. We represent more than 450 cities and tens of millions of Americans. There is so much diversity within our membership. Everyone has something different to contribute, and we want to make sure we’re drawing on all of that talent and all of their insights.

As we work with the Biden-Harris administration on large scale solutions at the national level, we should continue to point to the solutions we’re advancing in our own cities to show what’s possible when we work together, get creative, and make climate action a priority in everything we do. While the incoming Biden-Harris administration has committed to re-entering the Paris accord and is planning a series of executive orders to reverse many of the Trump administration’s deregulatory actions, Boston and many cities across the country are already moving ahead with our local climate goals. In Boston, we recently debuted our Zero-Emission Vehicle Roadmap, a long-term strategy to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles and other zero-emission transportation. The plan calls for electric vehicle charging stations in every city neighborhood by 2023 and a totally electrified city fleet, and lays out plans to help residents afford electric vehicles. Boston also recently released two more neighborhood-level climate resiliency plans as part of our ongoing Climate Ready Boston initiative, we are in the process of developing a city-wide urban forestry master plan, and we will launch our Community Choice Electricity municipal aggregation program in February.

I know that many of your cities have recently advanced bold climate solutions as well, with more to come in the year ahead. Anything that comes from Washington will be carried out by cities, so mayors need to shape, advocate for, and deliver a green and equitable recovery that meets the unique needs of our communities.

COVID-19 has made it clear that we need to plan for the future, we need to listen to scientists, and we need to make sustainability a fundamental value of our society. Everything we want to accomplish right now — public health, public safety, racial justice, economic growth, and an equitable recovery from COVID-19 — it all depends on a healthy environment. Climate action is the best investment we can make in our cities now to ensure a resilient future. It’s time to heal our nation by investing in long-term community well-being and health. Climate action is at heart of that work, and the Climate Mayors are in a position to play a more significant role than ever before. I look forward to the work that lies ahead, and I thank all of you for your commitment and your partnership.

Sincerely, Mayor Martin J. Walsh
Climate Mayors Chair

Climate Mayors, in Partnership With World Resources Institute, Hosts Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh, New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell for Dialogue About a Sustainable and Just Economic Recovery

The livestream panel was the fifth in the Climate Mayors National Dialogue on Green and Equitable Recovery, and focused on how the federal government can support and accelerate climate policies that have been successful in cities around the country

Watch the full discussion HERE.

November 17, 2020 – Today, Climate Mayors Chair Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh, Steering Committee Member New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and U.S. Director of World Resources Institute (WRI) Dan Lashof participated in a panel discussion as part of the Climate Mayors National Dialogue on Green and Equitable Recovery. The discussion focused on climate action needed at all levels of government during COVID-19 and the future of U.S. climate policy.

Today’s conversation was the fifth in a Climate Mayors event series advocating for national leadership to prioritize recovery policies that are environmentally sustainable and socially just in the time of COVID-19, and the first in the series to discuss the future of U.S. climate action in the wake of the presidential election. The discussion was moderated by Justin Worland, senior correspondent for TIME Magazine covering climate change and the environment.

“There are many parallels between the COVID-19 crisis and the climate crisis,” said Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh. “COVID-19 has made it clear how important it is that we plan for the future; listen to the scientists; and make sustainability a fundamental value of our society. It’s also shown us how important it is for us to work together. Our national recovery from COVID-19 must be rooted in green, equitable solutions that create opportunities for populations that have been hit hardest by the twin pandemics of COVID-19 and systemic racism. Cities have long been leaders in this work, and will continue to do so through coalitions like the Climate Mayors. Today’s discussion was an opportunity to discuss our shared goals moving forward, and I look forward to leading many more of these conversations in the months ahead, as the Climate Mayors’ new Chair.”

“As we have seen with the COVID-19 pandemic and with climate change, our cities have been at the forefront of the impacts, and the needs far exceed the resources available,” said New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “Both ongoing crises demand equitable solutions across the board, and we need leadership with a plan to address them. This is why conversations across different areas and sectors will be critical in developing future-oriented solutions for an equitable and green recovery.”

“For the last 4 years climate leadership in the United States has, of necessity, come from cities, states, and companies,” said Dan Lashof, U.S. Director of World Resources Institute. “With an incoming federal administration committed to build back better from COVID-19 by prioritizing climate action, leadership from Climate Mayors will remain essential to tackling the climate crisis at the pace and scale required by science and expected by citizens and the international community.”

Mayors and their partners highlighted how environmental initiatives stimulate local economies, create jobs, improve public health, and reduce carbon emissions amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants also discussed the ways that sustainability policies can prioritize frontline communities and communities of color that are more likely to be affected by pollution and the negative impacts of climate change.

“As we usher in an administration committed to upholding the Paris Agreement and reversing the current administration’s harmful environmental rollbacks, we must not lose sight of our call to action for a just and sustainable economic recovery,” said James Ritchotte, Director of Climate Mayors. “A green economic stimulus isn’t just an investment in our planet — it’s an investment in our economy, our public health, and the long-term prosperity of our country. This year, mayors across the country have shown leadership on the frontlines of the climate crisis, the racial justice crisis, the economic crisis and the public health crisis. And as we prepare for a new year and a new administration, Climate Mayors are eager to partner with the federal government on solutions that build resilience and address all of these crises simultaneously.”

Earlier events in the series featured Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, Columbia Mayor Stephen Benjamin, and U.S. Representative Kathy Castor, Chair of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis (watch the Southeast event here); Texas leaders Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Austin Mayor Steve Adler, and San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg (watch the Texas event here); Great Lakes leaders Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, and Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes (listen to the full Great Lakes event here); and Ohio Valley leaders Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto, Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley, Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley, and Youngstown Mayor Tito Brown (watch the Ohio Valley event here).

For more Information on the Climate Mayors network, please visit www.climatemayors.org.

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About Climate Mayors

Representing over 74 million Americans from 48 states, Climate Mayors is a peer-to-peer network of 468 U.S. city mayors who have committed to fighting climate change. Originally founded in 2014, the network’s ranks swelled to almost 400 mayors in response to the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. Climate Mayors commit to taking ambitious action to meet each of their cities’ current climate goals, while working together towards achieving our national Paris targets. Climate Mayors was founded by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and is Chaired by Martin J. Walsh (Boston) and Co-Chaired by Sylvester Turner (Houston). For more information, visit www.climatemayors.org and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Media Contact: Melody Meyer, mmeyer@bpimedia.com; Grace Hemming, ghemming@bpimedia.com

Climate Mayors Announces New Chair, Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh

Mayor Walsh previously served as Co-Chair of the network since its launch in 2014

Outgoing Chair Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti remains in Climate Mayors’ leadership as a member of its Steering Committee

November 16, 2020 — Today, Climate Mayors, the network of 468 U.S. mayors across the country committed to leading bold climate action and upholding the Paris Climate Agreement, announced that Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh will become the next Chair of the nationwide coalition. In this role, Mayor Walsh will help catalyze climate-forward actions taken at the local level, provide an example of climate action for leaders at all levels of government, and advocate for an economic recovery founded in equity and environmental stewardship. Mayor Walsh succeeds Mayor Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles, co-founder of Climate Mayors, who has served as the network’s Chair since its launch in 2014. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner will continue in his leadership role as Co-Chair of the network.

Mayor Walsh has been a climate champion for Boston and has made bold climate action a top priority since beginning his term in 2014. The City of Boston’s 2019 update to the Climate Action Plan outlined a five year roadmap to accelerate action towards achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, and put Boston on track to meet the goals laid out in the Paris Climate Agreement. Boston continues to build a successful track record of driving down emissions while simultaneously preparing for sea level rise, extreme temperatures and storms. In each year of his tenure so far, Boston has ranked among the top two cities in the country for energy efficiency by the American Council on an Energy-Efficient Economy. The City is implementing solutions to make Boston’s most vulnerable communities more resilient to the impacts of climate change through Climate Ready Boston and Resilient Boston Harbor, a comprehensive and transformative vision to increase access and open space along Boston’s 47 mile shoreline while better protecting the city during a major flooding event.

“I’m very proud to be named Chair of the Climate Mayors,” said Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh. “As Mayors, we’re close to the people we serve. We see how climate change is already impacting the residents in our cities, and we know how important it is for us to take decisive action for the sake of public safety and public health. American cities have led on climate action for a long time, and especially over the last four years. As we welcome in a federal administration committed to urgent, bold climate policies, the Climate Mayors are looking forward to accelerating our efforts.”

“Mayors see the impacts of climate change firsthand, and we are always first to propose, develop, and implement solutions to this existential challenge,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. “Cities will never shirk their responsibility to preserve our environment, invest in clean energy, and protect the health of our communities — and there is no one better than Mayor Walsh to carry forward our agenda, uphold the goals of the Paris Agreement, forge a future of sustainability, and deliver a green economy that works for everyone.”

“The COVID19 pandemic has strengthened the connection between climate change and community health, especially in our most vulnerable communities. Now more than ever before, a clean energy transition — driven by cities — is key to global economic recovery,” said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. “Over the past four years, Climate Mayors have stepped up to fill the gap when the federal government turned its back on climate action. The City of Houston – the Energy Capital of the World – stands ready to take immediate, bold action to reduce emissions in our city and build a low-carbon economy that can fuel cities across the planet. Mayor Walsh has made environmental justice and climate action a priority for Boston, and I look forward to working alongside him to make the US a leader in the global effort to reduce carbon emissions.”

“Since founding Climate Mayors in 2014, Mayor Garcetti has helped shape Climate Mayors into a robust, engaged network of more than 450 members and cemented it as a leading voice in climate advocacy,” said James Ritchotte, Director of Climate Mayors. “As we look ahead to this new phase under the leadership of Mayor Walsh, the Climate Mayors network expresses its deepest gratitude to Mayor Garcetti for galvanizing our membership and for his commitment to addressing the climate emergency. We’re honored to have Mayor Walsh serve as the new Chair, knowing that he will expand on this legacy, and drive an ambitious agenda focused on a green and equitable recovery across the country.”

Since being elected Mayor in 2013, Mayor Eric Garcetti has dedicated his tenure to making Los Angeles a global leader in climate action and catalyzing more climate action across the world. At the time he co-founded Climate Mayors in 2014, the network consisted of 24 members — in the six years since, Mayor Garcetti helped the network swell to 468 members across 48 states. As Chair of Climate Mayors, he long set an example for other members to follow and helped grow the Climate Mayors Electric Vehicle (EV) Purchasing Collaborative from 20 founding cities and two counties to where it stands today: 231 cities, counties, ports, universities and transit agencies committed to purchasing nearly 4,000 light duty EVs and buses. Last year, Mayor Garcetti launched Los Angeles’ Green New Deal — an ambitious update to the city’s first-ever Sustainable City pLAn — which serves as a comprehensive roadmap to protect the environment, strengthen the economy and build a more equitable future. He has put the city on track to a 45% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2025 and carbon neutrality by 2050.

Mayor Garcetti will remain in Climate Mayors leadership as a member of its Steering Committee. In 2019, Mayor Garcetti became Chair of C40 Cities, the international network of global cities committed to addressing climate change. As a leader with both Climate Mayors and C40, Mayor Garcetti will continue to foster close collaboration and partnership between the two networks.

Climate Mayors and its work to accelerate local climate progress across the country is made possible with support by Bloomberg Philanthropies.

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About Climate Mayors

Media Inquiries: Melody Meyer, mmeyer@bpimedia.com; Grace Hemming, ghemming@bpimedia.com