Climate Mayors Launch Steering Committee To Support City-led Climate Action

The Climate Mayors, a group of mayors across the US that are concerned with climate change, have launched a new steering committee that will support city-led climate action.

438 mayors belong to the group which is working to uphold the Paris Climate Agreement. 24 mayors will lead the new steering committee and will spotlight climate leadership exhibited in cities throughout the United States. The steering committee will also engage with the rest of the Climate Mayors to drive action at the municipal level and raise awareness of the myriad issues that arise from changes to the environment.

After President Trump announced his initial plans to withdraw the U.S. from the landmark Paris Agreement in June 2017, more than 300 mayors joined the Climate Mayors coalition and pledged to continue working toward the goals of the Agreement in their cities. The network has since grown to over 400 mayors, both Democrat and Republican, who represent cities ranging in size and region and show the overwhelming support for climate action among the majority of Americans.

Members of the steering committee represent coastal cities and cities that are further inland. Cities of all sizes are also represented within the committee. The membership recognizes the need for cities to lead on climate change regardless of what policies are enacted at the federal level in part because individuals interact most closely with their city government and it is often municipal leaders that are called upon to respond to disaster first.

“Cities across our country and around the world see the impacts of climate change firsthand — and we stand front and center in the fight to address this crisis with every tool at our disposal,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. “No matter what happens on the national level, cities know we cannot afford any more debates or delays, so we will continue to act to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, protect our most vulnerable residents, strengthen global health, and create a green economy that works for everyone.”

The Climate Mayors announcement comes on the heels of an executive order issued earlier this week by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, creating a climate change subcabinet within the state government to coordinate a statewide response. The efforts highlight a growing awareness on the part of state and local officials that we are unlikely to see a comprehensive national response to extreme climate, which means cities and states will have to work from the bottom up.

Members of the Climate Mayors steering committee include:
Steve Adler (Austin, TX)
Ethan Berkowitz (Anchorage, AK)
Jim Brainard (Carmel, IN)
Michael Cahill (Beverly, MA)
Kirk Caldwell (Honolulu, HI)
LaToya Cantrell (New Orleans, LA)
Melvin Carter (Saint Paul, MN)
Jane Castor (Tampa, FL)
Frank Cownie (Des Moines, IA)
Bill de Blasio (New York City)
Mike Duggan (Detroit, MI)
Buddy Dyer (Orlando, FL)
Kevin Faulconer (San Diego, CA)
Greg Fischer (Louisville, KY)
Kate Gallego (Phoenix, AZ)
Michael Hancock (Denver, CO)
James Hovland (Edina, MN)
Eric Johnson (Dallas, TX)
Lioneld Jordan (Fayetteville, AR)
Tim Keller (Albuquerque, NM)
Ron Nirenberg (San Antonio, TX)
Bill Peduto (Pittsburgh, PA)
Satya Rhodes-Conway (Madison, WI)
Lucy Vinis (Eugene, OR)