Mayors of some of the world’s largest cities launched a petition titled 'G20 Leaders: Are you ready to save our planet?' urging G20 leaders to deliver on their commitments to tackle climate change.
The petition notes that “unprecedented” action is needed to deliver on the goals of the Paris Agreement, including reforms in the energy, transport, and food and waste sectors by 2020.
At its 85th annual meeting, held in Miami Beach, US, from 23-26 June 2017, the US Conference of Mayors adopted a resolution on the environment, calling upon the Trump Administration and Congress to fully commit to the Paris Agreement.
26 June 2017: Mayors of some of the world’s largest cities launched a petition urging leaders of the Group of 20 (G20) to deliver on their commitments to tackle climate change. In other news related to the action of sub-national actors, the US Conference of Mayors adopted a resolution on the environment, supporting, inter alia, a cities-driven plan to reverse climate change.
Issued on 26 June 2017, the mayors’ petition titled ‘G20 Leaders: Are you ready to save our planet?’ appeals to the resolve of the “other 19 leaders” at the upcoming G20 Summit to “safeguard the future of our planet,” given President Trump’s announcement of the US’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on climate change. The petition commends the “courage” of more than 300 US mayors who, in the recent weeks, committed to uphold the Paris Agreement.
In the petition, the mayors express their commitment to reducing emissions “boldly,” tackling air pollution and investing in sustainable infrastructure.
The petition notes that “unprecedented” action is needed to deliver on the goals of the Paris Agreement, including reforms in the energy, transport, and food and waste sectors by 2020, by which time global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions need to have peaked. Highlighting policies and projects already being implemented at the city level to deliver on the Paris Agreement, the mayors express their commitment to reducing emissions “boldly,” tackling air pollution and investing in sustainable infrastructure. In the peition, they state that “We must all work together to save our planet.” [G20 Leaders: Are You Ready to Save our Planet?] [UNFCCC Press Release]
At its 85th annual meeting, held in Miami Beach, US, from 23-26 June 2017, the US Conference of Mayors adopted resolutions on a range of issues, including the environment, energy, transportation and communications, and international affairs.
In its resolution on the environment, the US Conference of Mayors, inter alia, calls upon the Trump Administration and Congress to fully commit to the Paris Agreement and other climate change-related efforts to provide cities with the tools they need to address climate change.
Additionally, US mayors: urge the Administration and Congress to develop a federal comprehensive risk management programme to address sea level rises; encourage government action on full and dedicated funding of the energy efficiency and conservation block grants, federal water resources funding, and national water workforce efforts; and request the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop a potable reuse policy framework. [US Conference of Mayors 2017 Resolution on Environment] [US Conference of Mayors 2017 Adopted Resolutions] [US Conference of Mayors 85th Meeting Website]