Hoodline: Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego Takes the Helm as Chair of Climate Mayors, Championing Sustainable Urban Policy on National Level

Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego steps up to a new leadership role, this time on a national stage. The City of Phoenix issued a press release sharing that Mayor Gallego, who has served as the Vice-Chair since 2021, will now lead the Climate Mayors network as its Chair. She takes the reins from Mayor Justin M. Bibb of Cleveland, Ohio, and is set to infuse the role with her experience in building resilient and sustainable urban systems against the backdrop of climate change.

Mayor Gallego is not unfamiliar with the arid challenges of the Southwest, nor with the policy-making arena. She ascended to Phoenix's mayoralty in 2019 and won her bid for re-election last November—and sustainability was at the core of her platform. Alongside mayors from Boise and Atlanta, Mayor Gallego is aiming to enhance green initiatives and align supports for cities, large and small, enabling them to tackle weather extremities and champion accessibility to indispensable resources like clean water.

In her statement obtained by the City of Phoenix, she said, “The effects of climate change are on our doorstep, and we must continue prioritizing the creation of resilient, safe, and sustainable communities where anyone can get ahead. Our leadership team will advance climate action from the local level while simultaneously advocating for the support of national leaders.”

Determined to see cities have a greater impact, Mayor Gallego has laid out clear goals for her one-year tenure as Chair. She plans to foster partnerships with private and philanthropic entities to boost federal efforts, tackle the realities of extreme heat through a regional approach, and bolster climate actions at a local level. It's a tri-pronged blueprint that addresses immediate and overarching environmental concerns.