Climate Mayors Honors Outgoing Chair Mayor Justin M. Bibb for Transformational Leadership in 2024
Mayor Bibb ends his impactful term as the organization’s youngest Chair, leaving a lasting legacy of climate action and collaboration
Washington, D.C. (January 6, 2025) – Today, Climate Mayors proudly celebrates the leadership of its 2024 Chair, Mayor Justin M. Bibb of Cleveland, OH. With a clear vision and an unwavering commitment to climate action, Mayor Bibb has set a new standard for what can be achieved through bold, collaborative leadership.
Under Mayor Bibb’s stewardship, Climate Mayors achieved historic milestones in funding, launched the groundbreaking Electrify50 commitment which prioritized deploying over 160,000 EV chargers in disadvantaged communities, and deeply engaged Congress with various appropriations letters
to ensure the needs of cities were addressed in Washington. From championing decarbonization efforts in Cleveland to addressing fellow Climate Mayors on the heels of the 2024 presidential election results, Mayor Bibb’s dedication has inspired mayors and communities nationwide to rise to the challenge of building a better future at all costs.
"Mayor Bibb has been an energizing and unwavering leader, continuously elevating Climate Mayors to new heights on global and national stages while fostering collaboration and learning amongst fellow mayors," said Kate Wright, Executive Director of Climate Mayors. "His passion and determination have not only advanced the transition to renewable energy in cities nationwide but also strengthened the voice and influence of our network. We are grateful for his leadership and look forward to building on the momentum he has created as we strive for affordable, equitable, more resilient communities."
Mayor Bibb’s transformative accomplishments include:
Bringing Mayors Together: Strengthened the Climate Mayors network by fostering deeper connections among city leaders and encouraging regional collaboration and peer to peer learning including the largest Annual Forum since the COVID-19 pandemic. More members were engaged than ever under Mayor Bibb’s leadership – attending in-person convenings, participating in virtual workshops, contributing to communications campaigns to elevate local climate action, and providing input to federal policies.
Securing Equitable Access: Worked to ensure historic federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law benefitted communities of color and those most vulnerable to climate change. Under Mayor Bibb’s leadership Climate Mayors partnered with C40 Cities and USDN to work with federal agencies on grant guidelines and to provide members guidance on new funding streams including guidebooks, expert presentations, in-person roundtables and six IRA implementation workshops across the country.
Elevating Climate Mayors: Consistently delivered compelling remarks in remarkable space such as the Clinton Global initiative, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and countless America Is All In events, while also showcasing the work of the organization in heavy hitter media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal and POLITICO.
Deeping Federal Partnership: Facilitated dynamic interaction between mayors and federal leaders such as Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, supporting sign-on letters, and advocated for Congress and the Administration to prioritize climate action and clean energy funding. Through collaboration with the DOT, Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, the State Department, and NOAA, Mayor Bibb led Climate Mayors into a season of advanced action through partnership.
Strengthening Funding: Increased the diversity and breadth of funding sources to further strengthen the ability for Climate Mayors to provide resources, expertise and guidance to cities across the country.
Climate Mayors thanks Mayor Justin M. Bibb, for his leadership, passion, and fierce dedication. Mayor Bibb’s ability to unite mayors across the nation, advocate for equitable climate policies, and elevate the profile of Climate Mayors on the national and global stage has left a lasting impact. We thank him for his tireless efforts, which have strengthened our network, inspired transformative action, and set a strong foundation for continued progress in the years ahead.
We look forward to Mayor Bibb’s continued leadership as Chair Emeritus of Climate Mayors.
For media inquiries, please contact climatemayors@fgsglobal.com
