November 30, 2023 | From City of New Orleans
MAYOR CANTRELL TO TRAVEL TO DUBAI FOR UNITED NATIONS CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE (COP28)
NEW ORLEANS — Mayor LaToya Cantrell today will travel to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) to attend the United Nations’ (UN) Climate Change Conference, also known as COP28, taking place Nov. 30 to Dec. 12, 2023.
This is the first COP conference to give mayors a formal platform as prominent climate leaders at the heart of the multilateral negotiation space. COP28 features an integration of local leaders alongside heads of state in the COP process, including the first-of-its-kind Local Climate Action Summit (LCAS), hosted by the COP President and Bloomberg Philanthropies, to recognize the critical role of cities in driving down emissions, addressing climate risk and driving climate progress at the national level.
"Over the past few years, our city has seen increasingly stronger storms, and more recently, life-threatening heat waves and a prolonged drought that damaged our greenspace and contributed to a saltwater intrusion that threatened our drinking water,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “These negative impacts, as a result of climate change, speak to the importance of attending COP28 and meeting with fellow leaders, experts and advocates as we take collective, global action towards eliminating these risks and creating a safer, healthier environment for our people. My various participating roles at COP28 demonstrates how our city is a model for how other cities in the U.S., and across the world, can adapt to thrive in a changing environment. I look forward to joining various leaders in this space as we take a strong, science-based stance towards combatting the ongoing climate crisis."
COP28 is designed as a way for climate leaders to engage with partners from across the globe and help drive a conversation on how local leadership can build cleaner cities, grow a green job workforce and create a healthier planet. Mayor Cantrell is attending and participating in COP28 as a member of multiple delegations, including the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) bipartisan delegation, C40 Cities and the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI).
Mayor Cantrell will take part in several panels, meetings and events. On Saturday, Dec. 2, Mayor Cantrell and the MRCTI delegation will meet with Senior Advisor to President Biden for Clean Energy, Innovation and Implementation John Podesta to discuss how new federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) can help cities along the Mississippi River build infrastructure and coordinate efforts to mitigate the impacts of droughts and flooding, while also growing commerce along this internationally important corridor.
She will also participate in a panel discussion titled, “Bold Investment for a Brighter Future: States, Cities and Businesses Delivering on the Promise of the Inflation Reduction Act,” to present how New Orleans has taken advantage of federal funding programs from the BIL and IRA to build climate resiliency and create jobs. Other speakers include Former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administration and Former National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico and Mayor Andrew Ginther of Columbus, Ohio.
On Sunday, Dec. 3, Mayor Cantrell will participate in the launch of the C40 Cities Water Safe Cities Accelerator, a technical assistance and peer-to-peer learning group focused on smart urban water policies. Participating mayors and cities will be committing to act to increase resilience to floods and drought, with a priority to safeguard the most vulnerable communities. Among the Mayor’s priorities for this group is to demonstrate how cities can take action on coastal restoration by showcasing local restoration efforts in the Central Wetlands and the New Orleans East Landbridge.
Later on Sunday, Dec. 3, Mayor Cantrell will join other mayors and sub-national government leaders in a meeting with 9th UN Secretary-General António Guterres. Mayor Cantrell and other local leaders will discuss the importance of including funding and financing for local government during the climate negotiations that will take place during the conference between world leaders. Cities are important partners in the delivery of climate action; they represent the closest level of government to residents and are the first responders in emergencies.
On Tuesday, Dec. 5, Mayor Cantrell, along with fellow mayors, will participate in the LCAS, as well as a panel discussion entitled, “Cities Tackling Extreme Weather Patterns and Financing Challenges: How Mayors Can Protect Citizens and Their Most Vulnerable Populations.” Also, on Dec. 5, Mayor Cantrell will participate in a panel discussion titled, “Unlocking the Just Transition Through Local Action,” alongside Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski of Warsaw, where she will discuss the importance of workforce development and the transition to new green 21st century jobs.
On Wednesday, Dec. 6, Mayor Cantrell will participate in a final panel discussion titled, “Driving the End of the Fossil Fuel Era: How Cities are Leading a Just Transition to Build a Healthier World,” alongside C40 Youth Hub Advocate Juliet Oluoch and moderated by C40 Managing Director of Climate Solutions and Networks Cassie Sutherland.
Mayor Cantrell will return to New Orleans on Thursday, Dec. 7.
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