The primary purpose of any government is to protect its citizens. Climate change poses a unique and growing threat to the lives, health and jobs of people in every city, state and around the world. The policies and budget priorities announced by President Trump in recent weeks threaten to undermine America’s global leadership on tackling climate change. If enacted this will be bad for the United States and bad for the planet.
It is now clearer than ever that cities must play a critical role in delivering the ambition of the Paris Agreement and prevent devastating impacts of climate change.
That is why we stand with the 38 US “climate mayors”—including all 12 US C40 mayors—who are part of the Mayors National Climate Action Agenda. These mayors wrote today to President Trump to reaffirm their determination to deliver on their moral, economic, public health and security obligations to protect their citizens and our planet from the effects of climate change.
These American “climate mayors” also recognize the economic benefits and impact of taking climate action. They recently released an electric vehicle request for information (RFI) to manufacturers that shows a $10 billion market of nearly 115,000 municipal cars and trucks could electrified across 30 US cities. Furthermore, $500 billion in local transportation infrastructure investment and major expansions of clean, renewable energy are also creating jobs and improving quality of life.
US mayors at the recent US Conference of Mayors in Washington DC
Research by C40 has shown that the environmental policies and actions taken in cities in the United States and around the world can account for 40% of the greenhouse gas emissions reductions needed to limit global warming to a 1.5 C degree temperature rise. One hundred thirty three US cities have already moved forward to deliver on that agreement through their commitment to the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy, a global coalition of cities committed to combating the effects of climate change.
At the recent C40 Women4Climate conference in New York City and the Urban Waterways Forum in Chicago, US and global mayors affirmed there are no walls between cities in the fight against climate change. Instead, they are building bridges and empowering the next generation of leaders to shape the future.
As mayors committed to a safe and prosperous future for our people, and on behalf of the 90 leaders in the C40 network representing over 650 million people around the world, we pledge our support to the cities and citizens in the United States. The urgency of the climate crisis and the economic potential for businesses and cities in shifting to a greener future are too well established to be rolled back by the decisions of any single government.
We stand united and determined to push ahead to create the sustainable cities of the future. It’s our duty as leaders, and together we won’t fail.
List of signatories:
Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris & Chair of C40 Cities
Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles & Vice-Chair of C40 Cities
Martin J. Walsh, Mayor of Boston & Vice-Chair of C40 Cities
Frank Jensen, Lord Mayor of Copenhagen & Vice-Chair of C40 Cities
Miguel Ángel Mancera, Mayor of Mexico City & Vice-Chair of C40 Cities
Giuseppe Sala, Mayor of Milan & Vice-Chair of C40 Cities
Denis Coderre, Mayor of Montreal
Clover Moore, Lord Mayor of Sydney
Gregor Robertson, Mayor of Vancouver
Patricia de Lille, Mayor of Cape Town