279 Climate Mayors across the United States now committed to adopting the Paris agreement goals in their cities

LOS ANGELES — In the week following the President's decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement, 279 Climate Mayors — a group Mayor Garcetti helped establish in 2014 — have pledged to support the goals of the agreement in their cities. When the President announced the withdrawal on June 1, 61 Climate Mayors expressed their support for the agreement. One week later, the number of Climate Mayors has more than quadrupled, now representing nearly one in five Americans.

Mayor Garcetti and the Climate Mayors have strongly opposed the Administration’s decision to leave the Paris Agreement, committing to uphold its standards in their own cities. “Last week, mayors from both Democratic and Republican cities across America united to say ‘Enough’ — we will not allow inaction at the highest level to jeopardize the future of our world,” said Mayor Garcetti. “Now, mayors from every part of our nation are joining the call to action, uniting to continue the fight against climate change in our cities.”

The Climate Mayors now include nine of the 10 largest cities in America — New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, Dallas, and San Jose — along with hundreds of additional cities, large and small, from Boston to Knoxville to Miami, across red and blue states. In total, the 279 Climate Mayors now represent 59 million Americans from 42 states.

“This is a top priority for the people of Boston and for all Americans,” said Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh. “We witness the impacts of climate change every day — extreme heat, flooding, and worsening health issues. It's our duty to act, and I'm proud to stand among the increasing number of Climate Mayors fighting for our residents.”

"We believe that Miami is the epicenter for climate change and sea level rise,” said Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado. “Now more than ever, we are resolute and will vigorously pursue our commitment to this cause. This is not just about the present, but for future generations."

“Protecting the climate doesn’t mean choosing between our environment and economy,” said Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero. “As demonstrated in Knoxville, we can enhance both while improving our community. Despite the president's stance, we will continue to advance our local values by upholding the principles and commitments of the Paris Agreement."

In Los Angeles, Mayor Garcetti has spearheaded efforts to make the city the most sustainable in America. In April 2015, he introduced the city’s first Sustainable City pLAn, a comprehensive roadmap with measurable long-term goals for conserving water, creating green jobs, expanding electric vehicle use, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The city is on track to meet 90% of the pLAn’s 2017 goals.

To learn more about Climate Mayors, visit www.climate-mayors.org or engage with them on Facebook, Twitter, and Medium. Mayor Garcetti co-founded the Climate Mayors (also known as the Mayors National Climate Action Agenda, or MNCAA), a network of 289 U.S. cities representing over 62 million Americans, collaborating to enhance local efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and advocate for binding federal and global policies. Earlier this year, Mayor Garcetti led the release of an EV RFI with 30 MNCAA cities to showcase potential demand for over 114,000 electric vehicles, trucks, and equipment for cities. Additionally, Mayor Garcetti serves as Vice Chair of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, an international network of megacities working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and has signed the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy.