Mayoral Terms End, but Climate Legacies Live on Forever: Recognizing Mayor Michael. B Hancock

Mayor Michael B. Hancock of Denver began his term in 2011 and will close this chapter in July of 2023. During this time he also served on the Climate Mayors steering committee in 2019. This leadership has set the stage for continued climate innovation in Denver now and in the future.

“As my time as Mayor of Denver comes to a close, I reflect with gratitude on the great opportunity to serve this incredible city and its people. It’s been an honor to work alongside fellow Climate Mayors to drive our collective mission of decarbonizing cities, strengthening environmental justice, and supporting the green transition. The best of Denver’s story is yet to be written, and I am excited to witness its next chapter as a proud resident and advocate for our beloved city.” – Former Mayor Michael B. Hancock

Mayor Hancock’s legacy often focused on making sustainability accessible to individuals within the community. The successes below showcase how sustainable living and policy making was woven into the fabric of a diversity of communities throughout his term. 

  • Announced the 2021 Climate Protection Fund, which allocated $57 million to climate investments 
  • Allocated rebates for energy efficient heating and cooling, covering up to 100% of the cost for low income households
  • Allocated funding for neighborhoods and small businesses to go green 
  • Oversaw the Energize Denver building performance ordinance, which has been hailed as the nation’s gold standard to drastically cut buildings’ reliance on fossil fuels
  • As of June 2023, the Climate Protection Fund (CPF) fund has committed $172 million in climate investments, and 60% of that directly benefits Denver’s most climate-vulnerable people and communities
  • Committed $18 million in community solar, with 30 percent of the power generated allocated to pay bills for Denver Public Schools families with lower incomes 
  • From 2008 to 2021, Denver reduced its GHG emissions by more than 30%
  • Doubled spending on climate across all agencies from 2021 to 2023 (in 2023’s budget, over $150M was dedicated to climate action)
  • 833 households have installed or reserved a heat pump through Climate Action Rebates
  • 159 Certifiably Green Denver businesses
  • Over 100 people enrolled in green workforce training programs
  • $300k given out in 2022 to 37 minority and/or women-owned small businesses to fund sustainability projects
  • Enacted an ordinance that requires all buildings of 25,000 or more square feet to record their energy usage and report publicly in a format that allows for comparison of energy performance among such buildings

The Climate Mayors organization thanks Mayor Hancock for his commitment to leading in Denver and creating a model for mayors across the U.S.. “We are deeply appreciative of Mayor Hancock’s advocacy for the health and prosperity of all Denver communities. From home electrification rebates to critical investments in solar power, Climate Mayors thanks Mayor Hancock for his inspirational leadership,” said Kate Wright, Climate Mayors’ Executive Director. The former Mayor put people first by prioritizing policy transformation and concrete funding support to ensure residents had equitable access to a more sustainable lifestyle. The ripple effect from the efforts in clean energy, transportation electrification, and green business will be felt for generations to come.

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​​Climate Mayors Welcomes its 2023 Mayoral Leadership Team

Climate Mayors closes out the year by welcoming a new leadership team to head into a major year for climate action and progress in U.S. cities.

Climate Mayors announced their new leadership team on December 14, 2022, highlighting several mayors who will be carrying the torch as the new leaders of the climate action organization. With Mayor Turner of Houston stepping down as his term nears its end, Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway of Madison will serve as the 2023 Chair. She will lead alongside Mayor Kate Gallego of Phoenix who has held her Vice-Chair position since 2021 and new incoming Vice-Chair, Mayor Justin Bibb of Cleveland. These three mayors have been exemplary models for citywide attention to the climate crisis, public health and environmental justice and are poised to continue this leadership in the year ahead.

Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway has held office in Madison, Wisconsin since 2019 and began her term by making history as the first openly LGBTQ person to hold the position. She has been a member of the Climate Mayors Steering Committee since 2020 and served as Vice-Chair in 2021 and 2022. We’re proud to announce her transition to Chair of Climate Mayors. Her leadership on climate action in Madison showcases her dedication to protecting people and the planet. The Mayor has prioritized climate action in numerous ways such as investing in energy retrofits to affordable housing, advancing EV-charging infrastructure, and she is now breaking ground on a $160 million bus rapid transit system with all-electric buses. Mayor Rhodes-Conway’s actions show what’s possible with bold, ambitious climate leadership.

Madison has already achieved many climate wins, including investing in over 20 megawatts of rooftop and offsite solar energy, rapidly converting municipal fleets to electric and alternative fuels, and making major investments in Madison’s stormwater system to increase resilience to flooding, just to name a few. A priority for the Mayor for the upcoming year will be helping cities take full advantage of climate solutions in the Inflation Reduction Act. 

“I’m honored to serve as Climate Mayors Chair at this critical time for climate action in cities,” said Mayor Rhodes-Conway. “Cities have long been our climate leaders, and during my time as Climate Mayors Chair, I am eager to work with other Mayors, the federal government, and numerous partners to help ensure that the unprecedented federal investments in climate solutions reach U.S. cities and their residents.”

Mayor Kate Gallego of Phoenix, Arizona has held office since 2019 and has served as the Climate Mayors Vice-Chair since 2020 and Vice-Chair of C40 Cities since 2021. In 2023, she will maintain her position as Vice-Chair alongside the new leadership team members. Mayor Gallego’s goal is to make Phoenix the most sustainable desert city on the planet. As the world continues to warm, that means boosting the city’s heat resiliency, implementing innovative ideas like cool pavement; managing water supplies in ways that encourage conservation; and advancing transit options like light rail while building infrastructure that supports electric vehicle adoption. She also put transparency and access first with the launch of a new environment and sustainability web portal in 2022 which provides residents with timely updates and access to environmental, sustainability, and climate programs.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work alongside Mayors Bibb and Rhodes-Conway toward our shared mission at Climate Mayors,” said Mayor Gallego. “Our leadership team will continue to put people first in the fight against climate change. Challenging ourselves and our cities to meet the unique needs of our local communities while driving progress forward in clean energy, adaptation and sustainable innovation.”

Mayor Justin Bibb has served as the first millennial mayor of Cleveland, Ohio since 2022 and is now a newly inducted member of the Climate Mayors leadership team as Vice-Chair. Climate justice and sustainability has been a key component of Mayor Bibb’s platform, since connecting with constituents about their lived health experiences related to climate change, such as asthma aggravated by increasing high heat days. In his first year as mayor, Bibb has included climate justice as a key component for all cabinet leader positions, as well as elevating it into a titled cabinet role – Director of Sustainability and Climate Justice. Thus embedding accountability, equity and just transition at the forefront of climate change solutions planned, coordinated and implemented by the city. Mayor Bibb identifies reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and moving toward solar, wind, and hydro power as a key driver of the city’s green economic outlook. 

The City of Cleveland has already set a goal of meeting 100% of the city’s overall electricity demand from renewable energy sources by 2050, but is currently exploring a more aggressive timeline to achieve the vision of a clean and equitable energy future. Cleveland also offers tax abatements and grants for residential developments that meet Cleveland Green Building Standards, and is piloting a rooftop Solar Low-Moderate Income (LMI) program for up to 10 households.

Under Mayor Bibb’s leadership, the city will build upon and align past municipal level climate action planning with science-based climate targets and convene economic leadership in the greater metropolitan area to co-identify and co-plan clear next steps to pivot local and regional decarbonization commitments into action.

 “I’m honored to serve amongst seasoned Climate Mayors Gallego and Rhodes-Conway as Vice-Chair. Supporting the conditions for climate justice to thrive in Cleveland and in cities across America is a critical step toward creating an equitable tomorrow for all”, said Mayor Justin Bibb.

The Climate Mayors organization is proud to welcome these three exceptional mayors to its leadership team. There is no doubt that they will dutifully serve their cities and this organization by leading the charge in transitioning to clean energy, reducing city emissions, creating jobs, and uplifting environmental justice. “We’re thrilled to bring fresh energy and ideas to the Climate Mayors leadership team. The dynamic leadership of Mayors Rhodes-Conway, Bibb and Gallego will harness the power of U.S. cities to make an impact in meeting Paris Agreement targets and limiting global warming despite what’s going on at the federal level,” said Kate Wright, Climate Mayors’ Executive Director. “Building on the remarkable work accomplished by outgoing leadership, the new team will lead the way in making 2023 a year of robust and diverse climate achievements in cities.”

 

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For media inquiries please contact climatemayors@fgsglobal.com

Climate Mayors Announces New Chair, Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway

At a virtual convening today, Climate Mayors announced new leadership to drive ambitious climate solutions at the local scale

December 14, 2022 — Today, at a virtual convening of the organization’s leadership and press, Climate Mayors announced that Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway will become the next Chair of the network of nearly 500 U.S. mayors across the country committed to climate leadership in their cities. In this role, Mayor Rhodes-Conway will help catalyze urgent action at the local scale to promote climate solutions, set an example of action for leaders at all levels of government, and support greener, safer and more resilient cities across the country. Also announced at the event were the incoming Vice-Chairs: Kate Gallego, Phoenix, AZ; and Justin Bibb, Cleveland, OH.

The 58th Mayor of Madison, Satya Rhodes-Conway was elected in 2019 as the city’s second female mayor and the first out LGBTQ person to serve as Mayor of Madison. In her time as Mayor, Rhodes-Conway has prioritized affordable housing, transportation, climate change and racial equity. She brings to the organization extensive experience in local policy, having worked with mayors across the country for over a decade and served three terms on the Madison Common Council. 

Under her leadership, Madison has invested in renewable energy consistent with goals for city facilities to be powered by 100% renewable energy by 2030. In addition, the city has invested in a $160 million all-electric bus rapid transit system that will improve mobility, lower transit emissions, take thousands of cars off the streets, and encourage sustainability in both new and existing affordable housing operations to lower bills for residents. The city is also working to rapidly transition streetlights to LED lights, retrofit affordable housing for efficiency and health, and build green infrastructure for stormwater management. On earth day in 2021, Mayor Rhodes Conway announced Climate Forward  – a plan to advance climate action in Madison, rapidly reduce emissions, make the city more resilient, and improve peoples’ lives. 

“I’m honored to serve as Climate Mayors chair at this critical time for climate action in cities,” said Mayor Rhodes-Conway. “Cities have long been our climate leaders, and during my time as Climate Mayors chair, I am eager to work with other Mayors, the federal government, and numerous partners to help ensure that the unprecedented federal investments in climate solutions reach U.S. cities and their residents.”

Mayor Rhodes Conway succeeds Mayor Sylvester Turner, who has been a long-standing climate champion for the City of Houston. In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, Mayor Turner launched Resilient Houston, worked at transitioning the Energy Capital of the World to a clean energy future, and increased the resilience of communities across the city by prioritizing health, job creation, equity, and sustainability. Turner also spearheaded the Houston Climate Action Plan — a science-based, community-driven strategy to make Houston’s transportation networks, building operations, and waste systems as clean and efficient as possible. 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 incoming Vice-Chairs of the organization, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego and Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb will continue driving city-led climate action to create more sustainable, equitable, and healthy cities for all. Mayor Bibb has a keen focus on environmental justice and equitable access, while Mayor Gallego often takes aim at extreme heat and resilience in their respective cities. Under their leadership, Climate Mayors will continue to catalyze membership and deeply engage cities, while holding the frontline for climate action in the U.S.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work alongside Mayors Bibb and Rhodes-Conway toward our shared mission at Climate Mayors,” said Mayor Gallego. “Our leadership team will continue to put people first in the fight against climate change. Challenging ourselves and our cities to meet the unique needs of our local communities while driving progress forward in clean energy, adaptation and sustainable innovation.”

“I’m honored to serve amongst seasoned Climate Mayors Gallego and Rhodes-Conway as Vice-chair. Supporting the conditions for climate justice to thrive in Cleveland and in cities across America is a critical step toward creating an equitable tomorrow for all”, said Mayor Justin Bibb.

Read more about the leadership team 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 nearly 500 U.S. city mayors who have committed to fighting climate change. Originally founded in 2014 by 3 mayors, the network’s ranks swelled to almost 400 mayors in response to the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement in June 2017. Climate Mayors is committed to accelerating equitable climate action to help each member city achieve their climate goals, while working together city-to-city, with states, and the Biden administration to increase national climate ambition. For more information, please visit our website and follow Climate Mayors on Twitter and LinkedIn.

For media inquiries please contact CLIMATEMAYORS@FGSGLOBAL.COM

Climate Mayors Announces New Policy Director to Help City Leaders Navigate Climate Legislation

Meghan Pazik joins Climate Mayors as the new Policy Director to help lead member cities into thoughtful policy creation and program implementation.

November 16, 2022 — Today, Climate Mayors, a network of over 500 U.S. mayors across the country committed to climate leadership and progress in their cities, announced the appointment of Meghan Pazik as its new Policy Director.

Pazik joins Climate Mayors after working on Capitol Hill, most recently as a Legislative Assistant for the Office of Congresswoman Julia Brownley (CA-26). Here, Pazik led several climate initiatives, including assisting the Congresswoman on her work with the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis and Natural Resources Committee. Prior to her work with Congresswoman Brownley, Pazik was a Legislative Assistant for the Office of Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06), where she worked across energy and environment programs to pass pertinent climate legislation. Meghan holds an MS in Energy and Climate Policy from John Hopkins University. From Loyola University, Meghan earned a BA in Environmental Studies and BA in Communications.

“I am excited to be working with a dedicated network of mayors and diverse stakeholders on climate action,” said Pazik. “Local leaders are at the center of combating the climate crisis. I am proud to help communities across the country implement the largest federal climate investments in history.”

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About Climate Mayors

Representing over 74 million Americans from 48 states, Climate Mayors is a peer-to-peer network of over 500 U.S. city mayors who have committed to fighting climate change. Originally founded in 2014 by 3 mayors, the network’s ranks swelled to almost 400 mayors in response to the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement in June 2017. Climate Mayors is committed to accelerating equitable climate action to help each member city achieve their climate goals, while working together city-to-city, with states, and the Biden administration to increase national climate ambition. For more information, please visit www.ClimateMayors.org and follow Climate Mayors on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Media Contact

ClimateMayors@fgsglobal.com