Phoneix Mayor Kate Gallego and City Councilwoman Yassamin Ansari will be among the public servant dignitaries attending the Glasgow Climate Change Summit (COP 26) from October 31 to November 12, 2021.
In an October 29 social media message to Phoenix residents, Mayor Gallego said:
“I’ll get to represent Phoenix and share the great things we’re doing from solar to cool pavements. I hope to come back having learned more about what we can do and being part of the solution here in Phoenix.”
Excited to be attending the UN #COP26 Climate Summit. Phoenix is an innovative leader on climate solutions. We’ll share our success, and learn about successes from cities around the globe.#TogetherForOurPlanet pic.twitter.com/q5GkipooHL
— Mayor Kate Gallego (@MayorGallego) October 29, 2021
According to reporting by Zayna Syed of AZ Central, both Gallego and Ansari will attend sessions with other world and regional leaders and discuss issues including water conservation, global warming mitigation efforts in cities, and electric automobile accessibility. The Phoenix Mayor will also address a session discussing Phoenix’s cool pavement program.
Mayor Gallego commented:
“In many ways, this is the first global event of its type where cities are given a prominent role in the solution. We can be a huge part of achieving global goals. The United Nations and C40 have been very focused on what cities can contribute to solutions.”
On speaking at the Summit, Ms. Gallego commented:
“Sometimes Phoenix is known as a retirement community or other inaccurate stereotypes. We are a global hub of semiconductor investment right now. That will be key to clean technology. And I want to tell that story globally.”
Councilwoman Ansari, once a climate advisor to the United Nations relayed:
“COP is very open to anyone who wants to go. The objective of the conference for many years now has been for it to be as open and accessible as possible, just given that the climate crisis is an issue that affects everyone…With cities, you are making a lot of decisions on an everyday basis that have to do with transportation, or have to do with new development projects. There are just so many decisions that we’re making where if you have climate and sustainability in mind, you can make better choices and make a dent in the problem.”
She also praised Mayor Gallego along with Tucson’s Regina Romero and Flagstaff’s Paul Desay for their clean energy -sustainability efforts, offering:
“We have strong leaders in each of these cities who recognize the urgency of the climate crisis, not just as a global issue, but how it affects people’s lives and livelihoods right here at home.”
Phoenix and Tucson have indeed led the way in creating local solutions to address climate change including:
- committing to net zero emissions by 2050.
- creating access to electric charging stations.
- investing in electric buses (including plans for school ones.)
- devising new city plans to address sustainability.
- reforming fire codes to allow for the installation of additional solar panels.
It is gratifying to know that Arizona’s leading local leaders recognize the urgency of combatting climate change and that they are taking steps to address it.
Remember, there is no Planet B to go to.