Mayor Turner, Climate Mayors Call on Congressional Leadership to Pass Federal Legislation that Supports Local Climate Action and Resilient Infrastructure

July 13, 2021 – Today, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Chair of Climate Mayors, led 146 Mayors from the Climate Mayors network in sending a letter to Congressional leadership calling for the passage of an infrastructure and economic recovery package that supports the critical work of America’s towns and cities to address climate change, create economic opportunity, and confront environmental injustice.

In the letter to Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Schumer, Minority Leader McCarthy, and Minority Leader McConnell, the Climate Mayors lay out their priorities for federal legislation, including:

  1. Prioritize and expand programs where funds flow directly to cities from the federal government.
  2. Prioritize local government-led processes for federal funds that flow to the states to improve inclusivity and accountability.
  3. Ensure that federal programs and funding prioritize disadvantaged communities and allow sufficient administrative and implementation flexibility to meet local needs.
  4. Ensure that federal spending is accompanied by workforce standards that prioritize job quality and equitable access to well-paying high road careers.

“Climate Mayors are committed to rebuilding stronger communities that address structural inequities, create opportunity for hard-working Americans, and tackle an increasingly destabilizing climate. But we cannot create sustainable and resilient cities on our own. We need federal action that includes targeted investments in American cities and towns to build out our nation’s critical infrastructure create a clean energy future that benefits all our communities,” said Mayor Turner.

“In Madison and in cities across the U.S., communities are facing the effects of our changing climate head-on, but we need support from Congress now to overcome barriers, build capacity, and scale solutions,” said Mayor Rhodes Conway, Climate Mayors Co-Chair.  “Every town and city must invest in infrastructure and programs that help build resilience to a shifting climate and act immediately to mitigate against further harm. There is no time to waste; we need Congress to prioritize funding that gives local governments the ability to identify and act on the most effective ways to deploy resources to support resilience in our communities.”

“In Phoenix, we are focused on innovating solutions that protect all of our communities from the serious impacts a changing climate is having on our city,” said Mayor Kate Gallego, Climate Mayors Co-Chair. “Yet as severe as the heat is here in Phoenix, my colleagues are dealing with equally challenging problems like flooding in the Midwest or the increasingly damaging hurricanes on the East Coast. Cities face specific challenges unique to their socio-geographical areas, which means we need flexible funding from Congress to solve them. With adequate resources, Mayors and local governments across the U.S. are ready to implement the essential climate solutions that best fit our needs.”

In April, Climate Mayors released a forward-looking report summarizing the key takeaways from the National Dialogue On Green And Equitable Recovery Series and highlighting tangible solutions for a green and just economic recovery in cities across the United States. The report also makes the case for –and lays out how the federal government can be partners in –moving local climate priorities forward.

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

The full letter sent to Congressional leadership can be found HERE.

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About Climate Mayors

Representing over 74 million Americans from 48 states, Climate Mayors is a peer-to-peer network of 476 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 U.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. For more information, please visit WWW.CLIMATEMAYORS.ORG.

Media Inquiries: James Ritchotte, jritchotte@climate-mayors.org

 

 

Climate Mayors Call for Green and Equitable National Recovery

Letter from Climate Mayors Chair and Co-Chairs

We are at a pivotal moment in our nation’s history. We face one of the greatest opportunities our generation has ever seen both for sustainable and equitable economic growth and for the reduction of greenhouse gases – and we must seize it.

Climate Mayors – a bipartisan network of over 470 U.S. mayors – is playing a leading role to preserve our environment, create well-paying green jobs, invest in clean air, clean water, and clean energy, and uphold the goals of the Paris Agreement at the local level. This commitment remains steadfast even in these challenging times, and we will continue to prioritize policies and programs that help build a better, more sustainable future.

Cities across America have long demonstrated that economic growth and environmental stewardship go hand in hand. Now, our federal government can show the world that investments in a zero-carbon economy are investments in the future of our workforce, the well-being of generations, and the resilience of our infrastructure and public spaces. This moment demands that we accelerate our efforts to drive ambitious, systemic change.

Cities throughout the United States are under tremendous pressure. In the face of the immediate crises – as well as the omnipresent threat of climate change – we encourage policymakers to look to local governments and communities to find meaningful solutions to these shared challenges. If fully funded, effectively implemented, and flexible enough to be adapted locally, the policies highlighted in this report will have a lasting impact on our ability to meet the scope and scale of the challenges before us.

This report highlights key policy priorities and local success stories that are contributing to a green and equitable recovery and have a demonstrated track record of creating jobs and building resilience. We would like to thank RMI for authoring the report, and Bloomberg Philanthropies for their long-standing support of Climate Mayors.

Respectfully,

Mayor Sylvester Turner
City of Houston, TX
Chair

Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway
City of Madison, WI
Co-Chair

Mayor Kate Gallego
City of Phoenix, AZ
Co-Chair

Roadmap to a Green Economic Recovery Begins in Cities According to New Report from Climate Mayors

Report demonstrates cities’ key role in addressing and preventing the worst effects of the climate crisis

Mayors call on federal government to better support cities as they work to build a more just and sustainable future

Download the full report HERE

April 21, 2021 – Today, Climate Mayors released a forward-looking report summarizing the key takeaways from the National Dialogue on Green and Equitable Recovery series and highlighting tangible solutions for a green and just economic recovery in cities across the United States. The report also makes the case for – and lays out how the federal government can be partners in –moving local climate priorities forward.

The report outlines key policy priorities and local success stories in the transit and mobility, buildings, electric power, and nature-based system sectors that have a demonstrated track record of creating jobs and building resilience. The report features success stories from Youngstown, Saint Paul, Dayton, Austin, Boston, Orlando, Columbia, Cincinnati, Houston, Pittsburgh, San Antonio, Madison, New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Miami.

“Cities around the country are demonstrating their unmatched ability to be an engine for a sustainable, equitable, and resilient economic recovery,” said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Climate Mayors Chair. “But they cannot do it alone. Cities need direct support from the federal government so they can meet the needs of this moment and deliver on the promise to build back better.”

“We are ready to partner with the federal government and build back better,” said Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway. “With that partnership, we can scale up our efforts and expand our successes throughout our states and regions, and we are excited to do so.”

“This report reflects the remarkable progress cities were able to achieve toward our climate goals when federal leadership was lacking,” said Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. “Now imagine what we can do in partnership with an administration committed to rejuvenating the nation’s economy and prioritizing a green recovery. The challenges ahead are significant, but so are the opportunities. By working together in our communities, and at all levels of government, we can seize this moment and create a more equitable and sustainable future.”

The success stories of Climate Mayors across the country demonstrate that environmental stewardship, fiscal responsibility, and economic growth are not mutually exclusive. However, city budgets are under enormous strain as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and are in need of federal support.

Building back a green economy led by local governments and supported by the federal government is an essential first step in achieving local and national climate goals, while ensuring a just, equitable, and sustainable economic recovery that is resilient for generations to come.

This report was developed by Climate Mayors leadership in collaboration with RMI. Climate Mayors and its work to accelerate local climate progress across the country is made possible with support by Bloomberg Philanthropies.

Examples of city-led initiatives include:

Houston, TX:

  • Approved a lease agreement with Sunnyside Energy, LLC to advance the Sunnyside Solar Project – an innovative public-private partnership to convert a 240-acre closed landfill in the Sunnyside neighborhood into the largest brownfield solar installation in the nation.
  • Closed and abandoned in 1970, the landfill has contributed to the stagnation of the neighborhood’s economy and presented serious health and safety concerns for children, families, and residents for decades.
  • The project – expected to generate enough clean energy to power 5,000 homes, offset 120 million pounds of carbon per year, and bring an estimated $70 million in private investment to the community – is a perfect example of how brownfield-to-brightfield projects can combat the climate crisis while creating jobs and addressing decades of environmental injustice.

Madison, WI:

Cincinnati, OH:

  • Used federal funding to improve energy efficiency throughout the community
  • The Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance used its Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grants (EECBGs) to encourage energy efficiency upgrades in residential and commercial buildings resulting in $1.9 million in annual energy savings
  • This grant laid the foundation for the Green Cincinnati Plan, which, among other actions, includes plans to reduce energy burdens by 10% by providing funding for upgrades in existing multifamily properties

Miami, FL:

  • To combat rising seas and extreme weather, the city established the Miami Forever Bond, a $400 Million General Obligation Bond (GOB) approved by voters in 2017 to fund projects to build resilience
  • The Bond dedicates $192 million to mitigate future sea level rise, $100 million toward affordable housing, $78 million for parks and cultural facilities, $23 million for road improvements and $7 million for public safety.

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About Climate Mayors

Representing over 74 million Americans from 48 states, Climate Mayors is a peer-to-peer network of 476 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 U.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. For more information, please visit www.climatemayors.org.

February 2021 – Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer
Climate Mayors Steering Committee member

The last year has been extraordinarily challenging. In the face of a global pandemic, a seismic economic downturn, a reckoning with racial injustice, and the ongoing threat of climate change, cities across the country are under enormous pressure. Throughout this time Climate Mayors have called for a “green and equitable recovery,” issuing a letter to Congress in July and launching a National Dialogue series that same month, the first event of which focused on the Southeast. The message has been straightforward – cities are committed to taking ambitious action on climate change, but they need a constructive federal partner to fully realize and expand their efforts.

That partner now exists in the White House. Since taking office, President Biden has returned the United States to the Paris Agreement, and has issued a series of executive orders articulating his whole-of-government approach, one grounded in equity and sustainability. I can remember when the Climate Mayors network began in 2014, as we were organizing for COP21 and the Paris Climate Agreement, and it’s truly amazing to see over 470 cities actively demonstrating climate leadership and advancing solutions in our cities today. Climate Mayors is in an incredible position to partner with the new Administration, and drive ambitious, equitable climate solutions at the local, state, national, and international levels.

The City of Orlando started our sustainability journey almost 15 years ago by launching our Green Works Orlando initiative in 2007, which has now evolved into a permanent Office of Sustainability and Resilience. Since the launch of Green Works, our strategy has focused heavily on decreasing carbon emissions by reducing energy use in buildings through energy-efficiency policies and programs; ramping up renewable energy, including utility-scale solar farms, rooftop solar projects, and floating solar on our retention ponds; improving public transit and micromobility through bus rapid transit (BRT), commuter trains, and a network of bike and scooter trails; and electrifying our municipal fleets and buses, and enabling EVs for consumers and visitors.

Through these interventions, Orlando has seen a 19-percent reduction in our GHG emissions from 2007 levels – and almost double from a per capita standpoint – while continuing to grow our economy in a steady way. But our work has only begun, and the next decade of action will be essential to achieving our community goals.

Last year, during the most disruptive crisis in modern history with COVID-19, we decided to continue with, and to double-down on, our commitment to sustainability and climate action. We believe the health of our environment, our community, and our economy are intrinsically linked. And we know that our sustainability programs are getting us closer to a future that is healthier, more prosperous, and more resilient to future shocks.

With that in mind, we have kept our ambitious agenda moving forward by installing four new rooftop solar projects on fire stations to enhance resilience and reduce operational expenses; implementing a new Green Building Incentive Program to encourage new development to build healthier, greener buildings for the community; expanding the number of new Level 2 EV charging stations to city parks, neighborhood centers, and parking facilities; unveiling our first fleet of zero-emission electric buses in our downtown, with 14 that will be in operation by the end of the year; and becoming a recognized LEED Gold City by the USGBC.

From a climate perspective, I’m proud of the commitments of our municipal electric and water utility, the Orlando Utility Commission (OUC), who finished an 18-month integrated resources plan to forecast the future of Orlando’s electric grid. After considerable community and stakeholder engagement, as well as alignment with the City’s climate goals, the OUC unanimously approved a plan to reach net-zero carbon without offsets by 2050, with intermediate targets of 50 percent by 2030 and 75 percent by 2040; retire the last two coal plants by 2027 – earlier than originally planned – with considerable reduction of coal in 2025; and commit to strictly solar, energy storage, and energy efficiency from now to 2050.

Lastly, I think it’s important that we realize that the global pandemic has hit communities of color and low-income families the hardest – the same residents and neighborhoods who suffer most from the effects of climate change, including dangerous emissions, energy burdens, skyrocketing temperatures, and extreme weather events like hurricanes. Last month, in an effort to address these disparities, I appointed the City’s first Equity Official to support us in our journey to ensure that as we advance sustainability and climate solutions, we do so in a way that focuses on equity and inclusion.

We’ve made great progress to date but have much more work to do. I’m proud that the Climate Mayors are determined to build a strong, green, and equitable economy that ensures all Americans are prepared for future health, economic, and environmental shocks.

January 2021 – Beverly Mayor Michael Cahill

Beverly, MA Mayor Michael Cahill
Climate Mayors Steering Committee member

In these early days of the new year, we are heartened and energized by the Biden Administration’s urgent focus on climate change, as demonstrated through the series of Executive Orders vowing monumental action in cutting emissions. I joined the US Climate Mayors in 2017 in response to the former President’s decision to leave the Paris Climate Agreement, and I’m incredibly excited to continue working with so many great local, state, and now Federal partners to fight climate change. 

With a population of 43,000, five train stations, 14 miles of coastline, and located twenty miles north of Boston, we are actively building Beverly’s resilience to the rising sea while doing everything we can to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to these changes. We’re learning as we go, and trying to take as many meaningful steps as we can to move Beverly forward on our path to net zero as a community. Here are some recent examples.

In the past decade, we have installed 7.5 MW of solar on municipal land, with 4.7 MW more to be brought online in 2021, as we seek to capture the potential of every parcel of city-owned land. As a state-designated Green Community, we’ve improved energy efficiency at most of our public buildings, and switched all our street lights to LED bulbs. This summer, our new, nearly net-zero police station will be heated and cooled by a geothermal system, with both rooftop and canopy solar arrays, bringing us one step closer to meeting our goal for clean-powered municipal operations by 2030.

We have also begun to build robust EV charging infrastructure in our municipal parking facilities, with four electric vehicle charging stations online and nine more to be installed in the next few months, including four Level 3 charging stations. We have deployed our first electric school bus with another on the way, and are in the process of launching a green municipal aggregation program to make renewable electricity accessible to all of our community members.

Understanding that this work must be scaled quickly, we have joined regional advocacy initiatives to enact statewide policy and address shared transportation challenges. The threats of climate change are shared, and so must be the solutions. We are at the midpoint of developing a joint climate action plan, called Resilient Together, in partnership with our neighboring City of Salem to realize our collective vision for a resilient and sustainable future.

Together we have set citywide carbon neutrality goals by mid-century, with community resilience, economic vitality, and natural resource protection at the forefront. As we seek to integrate climate mitigation into our everyday operations, we strive to strengthen partnerships with and demonstrate leadership to the community organizations, institutions, and utilities inside and outside our geographic bounds. 

The next decade of climate action is critical for our future, and we are more committed than ever to move boldly at every level to ensure a bright, safe, and sustainable future for our kids and grandchildren. We welcome the federal administration’s leadership to help us deliver the strong and urgent action needed across the country and the world.

Climate Mayors Announces New Chair, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner

January 28, 2021 — Today, Climate Mayors announced that Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner will become the next Chair of the nationwide coalition. In this role, Mayor Turner 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 grounded in equity and environmental stewardship.

Mayor Turner succeeds Mayor Martin J. Walsh of Boston, who President Joseph R. Biden nominated to serve as Secretary of Labor.

“I congratulate Mayor Walsh on his appointment and thank him for his work to prioritize climate change. It is an honor to succeed him as Chair of Climate Mayors,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner. “Cities are powerful drivers in the race against climate change. Mayors are investing in clean energy, greening our economies, and creating more sustainable and resilient communities across the U.S. The global pandemic has brought the connection between climate change and community health to the forefront of our cities and our society. With a new administration in the White House, Climate Mayors are prepared to lead swift, bold action on climate that will help our nation recover and build for a better future.”

“Mayors see firsthand how climate change is already impacting the health and wellbeing of people in our communities,” said Mayor Walsh. “Mayor Turner has long demonstrated a strong commitment to climate action, and I know that he will work to keep this at the heart of our COVID-19 recovery efforts. I congratulate him on becoming Chair of the Climate Mayors, and I look forward to seeing him advance this work forward on a national and international scale.”

Mayor Turner has been a long-standing climate champion for the City of Houston, having served as Mayor during Hurricane Harvey and enduring multiple 500-year storms in just four years. As part of the City’s recovery efforts, Mayor Turner launched Resilient Houston on February 12th, 2020, and the Houston Climate Action Plan on Earth Day’s 50th Anniversary on April 22nd, 2020. These critically important initiatives are focused on transitioning the Energy Capital of the World to a clean energy future and increasing the resilience of communities across the City, prioritizing health, job creation, equity, and sustainability.

Under Mayor Turner’s leadership, the City of Houston has committed to purchasing 100% renewable energy and is the largest municipal user of renewable energy in the nation. As part of this effort, the City recently approved the Sunnyside Solar Project – a public-private partnership to convert a 240-acre closed landfill in one of Houston’s most vulnerable communities into the largest urban solar farm in the nation. In conjunction with his Complete Communities Initiative, the project is a prime example of how cities can work with the community to address long-standing environmental justice concerns holistically, create green jobs and generate renewable energy in the process. In addition to serving as Chair of Climate Mayors, Mayor Turner is Chair of the Board of Directors of the Resilient Cities Network. He serves as 1st Vice President on the Board of Trustees for the African American Mayors Association.

“As we look ahead to this new year under the leadership of Mayor Turner, the Climate Mayors network expresses its deepest gratitude to Mayor Walsh for his ongoing commitment to addressing the climate emergency,” said James Ritchotte, Executive Director of Climate Mayors. “We’re honored to have Mayor Turner serve as the new Chair, knowing that he will expand the reach and impact of Climate Mayors, work closely with the new Administration committed to ambitious climate action, and drive an agenda focused on an economic recovery grounded in equity and sustainability.”

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

Representing over 74 million Americans from 48 states, Climate Mayors is a peer-to-peer network of 474 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 U.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. For more information, please visit www.climatemayors.org.

Media Inquiries: James Ritchotte, jritchotte@climate-mayors.org

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

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, please visit www.climatemayors.org.

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

Climate Mayors, in Partnership With the University of Pittsburgh, Hosts Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto, Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley, Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley, and Youngstown Mayor Tito Brown for Dialogue About a Sustainable and Just Economic Recovery

The livestream panel was the fourth in the Climate Mayors National Dialogue on Green and Equitable Recovery, an event series running through the fall with leaders in different regions across the U.S.

Watch the full discussion HERE.

October 2, 2020 – Yesterday, Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto, Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley, Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley and Youngstown Mayor Tito Brown participated in a panel discussion as part of the Climate Mayors National Dialogue on Green and Equitable Recovery. The event convened like-minded institutions, partners, and policy makers for a discussion about successful climate initiatives in the Ohio Valley and ways that the panelists have collaborated to advance climate action both locally and nationally.

Yesterday’s conversation was the fourth 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. The discussion was moderated by CB Bhattacharya, H.J. Zoffer Chair in Sustainability and Ethics at the Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh. Climate Mayors convened this event in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh Center for Sustainable Business.

“It is increasingly clear that we need to develop the resources and capacity to rebuild the communities that built America and the people that live in them. Fostering a just and sustainable clean energy transition is imperative,” said Climate Mayors Steering Committee member Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto. “We are losing time in competitive challenges between regions and countries to address the climate challenge, to develop the next generation technologies and invest in our infrastructure. We need to create an American Marshall Plan that leverages our financial capacity to create clean energy jobs. I am proud to join together with my fellow mayors to help shape and share this vision.”

“The City of Dayton is committed to move our community forward in a green and resilient direction. We will work to ensure that Dayton plans and executes our future activities in a way that acknowledges the need to reduce carbon emissions, be efficient in our energy consumption, and reverses environmental injustices,” said Climate Mayors member Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley. “Our new Sustainability Strategy promises a high quality of life and a healthy economy for our residents, businesses, institutions, and nonprofits in the future.”

“Cincinnati has laid the groundwork to construct the nation’s largest municipally-owned solar array that will take city administrative buildings off the grid and save our taxpayers money,” said Climate Mayors member Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley. “A cost-saving that will be critical as we continue to navigate the economic impact of COVID-19. Additionally, we have added a Climate Advisor to our Sustainability team to help build programs that address racial equity and energy-burden issues facing our city in light of the changes happening during the pandemic. As environmental stewards asking our residents and business owners to be more carbon-conscious, it is our job to lead that effort at the local level. Cincinnati’s sustainability team is already leading with the economy in mind, and our future is already better for it.”

“The City of Youngstown has begun to focus our efforts on dealing with our environment and preserving the future of our community,” said Climate Mayors member Youngstown Mayor Tito Brown. “We have begun a plan to reduce the carbon emissions by installing electric charging stations around the city, focusing on the uses of autonomous electric power public transportation and upgrading our street lights to LED lighting. The greater impact I can make today as Mayor will create a better future for my children and grandchildren.”

The next event in the Climate Mayors series will be a nationally-focused discussion later this fall. Mayors and their partners will highlight how environmental initiatives can help stimulate local economies, create jobs, improve public health, and reduce carbon emissions in the wake of COVID-19. They will also discuss the ways that their sustainability policies prioritize frontline communities and communities of color, who are more likely to be affected by pollution and the negative impacts of climate change.

“Over the past six months, mayors have been tasked with responding to a convergence of crises — COVID-19 and its economic fallout, climate change and the disasters it creates, and the racial inequity that’s been laid bare in our systems. Climate Mayors in the Ohio Valley and across the nation understand that our country needs a sustainable and equitable economic plan to properly recover from the turmoil and uncertainty of the past year,” said James Ritchotte, Director of Climate Mayors. “The leadership exemplified by Climate Mayors throughout the country, and paired with meaningful support from our federal government to implement these actions on a larger scale, will help launch this nation into a greener, more just future.”

Earlier events in the series featured Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, Columbia Mayor Stephen Benjamin, and US 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) and 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).

For more Information on upcoming events in Climate Mayors National Dialogue on Green and Equitable Recovery, 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 467 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 is founded and Chaired by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and Co-Chaired by Mayors Sylvester Turner (Houston) and Martin J. Walsh (Boston). 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, in Partnership With the Mayors Innovation Project, Hosts Madison Mayor Rhodes-Conway, Saint Paul Mayor Carter, and Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Barnes for Dialogue About a Sustainable and Just Economic Recovery

The livestream panel was the third in the Climate Mayors National Dialogue on Green and Equitable Recovery, an event series running through the fall with leaders in different regions across the U.S.

Listen to the full discussion HERE.

September 16, 2020 – Today, Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, and Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes participated in a panel discussion as part of the Climate Mayors National Dialogue on Green and Equitable Recovery. The event convened like-minded institutions, partners, and policy makers for a discussion about successful climate initiatives in the Great Lakes and ways that the panelists have collaborated to advance climate action both locally and nationally.

Today’s conversation was the third 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. The discussion was moderated by Paul Robbins, dean of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Climate Mayors convened this event in partnership with the Mayors Innovation Project at UW-Madison.

“At this moment in history, all mayors must think about how to reinvest in their communities. This creates a tremendous opportunity to invest not in the status quo, but in what we want – communities that are sustainable, resilient, and just,” said Climate Mayors Steering Committee member Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway. “I appreciate Climate Mayors and Mayors Innovation Project creating this opportunity for me to talk with other Midwest leaders, and for leaders across the country to share their ideas and their successes.”

“COVID-19 has laid bare the very challenges we’ve fought so hard to overcome for more than a generation, and that’s why it’s critical that we build back better, even stronger, and more resilient communities,” said Climate Mayors Steering Committee member Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter. “The ongoing work of Climate Mayors across our nation continues to help all of us realize this vision.”

“Over the last several years, cities and states have been leading the way on tackling the climate crisis, and together, we’ve been able to make some significant strides forward,” said Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes. “But as we rebuild our communities and continue to respond to COVID-19, we must ensure that equity and sustainability are driving our recovery efforts, and environmental justice is at the center of this conversation going forward.”

The next event in the Climate Mayors series will highlight policies and initiatives undertaken by climate leaders in the Ohio Valley region. A nationally-focused discussion will follow later this fall. Mayors and their partners will highlight how environmental initiatives can help stimulate local economies, create jobs, improve public health, and reduce carbon emissions in the wake of COVID-19. They will also discuss the ways that their sustainability policies prioritize frontline communities and communities of color, who are more likely to be affected by pollution and the negative impacts of climate change.

“From the public health and economic disparities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic to unprecedented natural disasters like the wildfires raging across the West, the past year has made clear that we need more sustainable and just systems,” said James Ritchotte, Director of Climate Mayors. “Climate Mayors in the Great Lakes and beyond are committed to implementing innovative solutions that tackle our climate crisis and simultaneously prioritize racial justice, job growth and public health. With the leadership of mayors and other elected officials, cities and states are making the transition to a more green and equitable economy and, with the right support from our federal government to amplify and accelerate existing efforts, we can ensure a more resilient and sustainable country that works better for all of our communities.”

Earlier events in the series featured Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, Columbia Mayor Stephen Benjamin, and US Representative Kathy Castor, Chair of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, (watch the Southeast event here) and Texas leaders Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Austin Mayor Steve Adler and San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg (watch the Texas event here).

For more Information on upcoming events in Climate Mayors National Dialogue on Green and Equitable Recovery, please visit www.climatemayors.org.

###

About Climate Mayors

Representing over 74 million Americans from 48 states, Climate Mayors is a peer-to-peer network of 464 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 is founded and Chaired by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and Co-Chaired by Mayors Sylvester Turner (Houston) and Martin J. Walsh (Boston). 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