JOINT STATEMENT FROM LA & HOUSTON MAYORS ON CLEAN POWER PLAN
LOS ANGELES — Mayor Eric Garcetti and Houston Mayor Annise Parker — who co-founded the Mayors National Climate Action Agenda with Mayor Michael Nutter of Philadelphia — issued the following statement regarding the President’s Clean Power Plan that was released today:
“We don’t need more debate on climate change from Washington; we need action, and that’s what we’re seeing from President Obama today,” Mayors Garcetti and Parker said. “Today’s Clean Power Plan will add to the benefits we’re already seeing from our cities’ strong leadership against climate change, including cleaner air and thousands of green jobs.”
The Mayors National Climate Action Agenda, which is now 28 mayors-strong, recently called on President Obama for strong federal action on climate change in the face of Congressional gridlock and for strong leadership by the US at the upcoming UN climate change negotiations in Paris (see: http://bit.ly/1hel7f5).
Mayors Garcetti and Parker noted that cities are on the front lines when it comes to the effects of climate change and responding to them, including extreme heat and weather, sea level rise and drought. Cities are also generate 70 percent of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions.
To make Los Angeles a leader in showing the path forward against climate change, Mayor Garcetti set a target of reducing Los Angeles’ greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050. He has also committed to making LADWP coal free, which in the wake of the city’s recent divestment from the coal-powered Navajo Generating Station, is now on track to happen by 2025. Mayor Garcetti’s agenda, which also includes aggressive solar power and green building targets, is detailed in the city’s first-ever Sustainable City pLAn (see: plan.lamayor.org).
To make Houston a leader against climate change, Mayor Parker is on track to meet a near-term goal of reducing the City of Houston’s greenhouse gas emissions by 42 percent by 2016. She also set a long-term reductions goal of 80 percent by 2050. Mayor Parker is committed to continuing Houston’s leadership as the largest municipal purchaser of renewable energy in the nation, with 50 percent of the City’s energy coming from renewable sources and a 30 MW solar project soon to be approved. The City of Houston is also implementing the largest LED streetlight conversion in the nation, helping the City meet stringent energy efficiency goals.
Mayor Garcetti also announced today that he has appointed Lauren Faber as Deputy Chief Sustainability Officer to help drive implementation of the Sustainable City pLAn, advance the climate policies in the pLAn, pursue additional funding for programs like the recent CARB grant for EV car sharing in disadvantaged communities, and other priorities. She joins the Garcetti Administration from the Environmental Defense Fund where she served as West Coast Political Director. She was previously with the California Environmental Protection Agency and the British Embassy in Washington, DC. Lauren will report to the Mayor’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Matt Petersen.
Mayors Parker and Garcetti serve on the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group global steering committee and represented Houston and Los Angeles on President Obama’s Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience. Mayor Garcetti also recently announced that Los Angeles will host the US China Low Carbon Cities Summit later this year.
