US mayors back new climate roadmap at C40 summit

15 October 2019

by Christopher Carey

Eight US cities–all winners of the Bloomberg Philanthropies’ American Cities Climate Challenge–reaffirmed their commitment to reducing emissions at the C40 World Mayors Summit in Copenhagen.

The mayors of Los Angeles, Austin, Boston, Honolulu, Philadelphia, Portland, San Antonio and Seattle outlined their policies during a press conference for the launch of the American Cities Climate Challenge Climate Action Playbook.

Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles and newly elected C40 Chair told the audience: “When Donald Trump said we’re getting out [of the Paris Agreement], we all said we’re jumping in. I have always said that it doesn’t matter who got elected president as much as who is the mayor in your city. If it was Hillary Clinton who had won, 80 percent of the work would still have been done with these mayors in these cities.”

The playbook, published by Bloomberg Philanthropies, will act as a roadmap for cities across the globe to reduce emissions and create healthier, more resilient communities.

It features strategies and examples from the American Cities Climate Challenge winners.

Former New York mayor and C40 Board President Michael Bloomberg claimed that if 100 of the largest US cities adopted the guide, their total combined emissions would drop by almost 30 percent by 2025, which would result in carbon reductions of 220 million metric tonnes—the equivalent of taking 50 million cars off the road.

“The fact is climate change is a series of solvable problems and this playbook can help solutions spread around the world,” added Bloomberg.

During the three-day summit, a coalition of 94 mayors from across the globe called for a ‘Global Green New Deal’ which recognises a global climate emergency.

The deal would reaffirm cities’ commitment to protecting the environment, cutting emissions and keeping global warming below the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement.

Marty Walsh, Mayor of Boston said: “As a coastal city, we are on the frontlines of this global crisis and we understand the urgency to act. It’s never been more important for cities to lead on climate and Bloomberg Philanthropies has been and continues to be a critical partner in this work.”

A number of high profile climate advocates, including US congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and former Vice-President Al Gore delivered emotive speeches as C40 urges all member cities to hit peak emissions by 2020 and halve emissions by 2030.

Other initiatives and agreements include: the Green & Healthy Streets Declaration, the Deadline 2020 programme (a blueprint for the policy changes needed to meet the Paris Agreement), financing opportunities and purchase agreements for electric vehicles, and plans to be emissions-neutral by 2050.

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