Gallego: Stay out of this election — our climate future is up to us – Daily Independent

Kate Gallego

BillMoree.com

By Kate Gallego | Mayor of the City of Phoenix

As I write this in mid-October, Phoenix is ​​just turning from an intense summer that recorded more than 100 days of 100-degree temperatures. This week’s headlines drew sighs of relief from residents.

It hasn’t always been this way: This summer we experienced 70 days of 110+ degree heat — more than triple the 30-year average. Our summers are now more intense and longer than ever.

And we’re not alone: ​​From devastating floods in Asheville to wildfires across the West, we’re seeing examples of climate change-fueled disasters around the world. Even in the US, the country with the most resources in the world, the enormous impact of climate change on our lives is unmistakable. While political messaging dominates our airwaves as Election Day approaches, fighting climate change cannot be a partisan priority relegated to the sidelines. Our long-term economic security and the health of our children are at stake.

The data unequivocally demonstrates that global carbon emissions are the number one driver of climate change. Scientists warn that we must quickly reduce carbon pollution to avoid the worst impacts.

The past few years have shown what is possible when we invest in our country’s infrastructure, land-based manufacturing and the transition to a clean energy economy. Monumental funding from the Biden-Harris administration has enabled cities to make short-term investments with long-term gains, delivering results that will benefit Americans now and for generations to come. Actions by individual communities not only provide immediate improvements to residents’ daily lives, but also collectively move us closer to a modern, clean energy economy fit for the 21^st-century of American leadership.

In Phoenix, we are embracing these federal initiatives by helping residents replace their appliances to save energy, conserve water, ensure solar energy is affordable for all, and plant native trees to improve the comfort and walkability of our streets. neighborhoods. A growing number of cities are collaborating with business and philanthropic partners because we know that tackling this challenge will require a holistic approach.

According to the Net-Zero Tracker, the world’s most comprehensive independent open-source review of global net-zero goals, the “ambitious chain” for climate action creates the right conditions to build a thriving, clean economy for all Americans. The ambition loop refers to how different levels of government, from local to national, encourage each other to take stronger climate action, creating a positive cycle of progress.

For example, in 2016 no US state had a net-zero goal. Now 19 of them do, and 12 of the states’ net zero goals are enshrined in law. These zero goals are a commitment to clean air, good green jobs and safe and healthy communities.

At the municipal level, 32 of the US cities with more than 500,000 people have set net zero goals, including the city of Phoenix. In the private sector, nearly half of the US companies on the Forbes Global 2000 list have a net zero goal or similar. These are all important signals that the clean transition is working its way into the fabric of our economy, providing a springboard for the US to regain leadership in the race to net zero while addressing the existential challenge of our time. In the face of increasingly frequent and destructive extreme weather events, climate action is increasingly understood not just as a satellite interest for those passionate about the environment, but as an economic and public health imperative on which everyone depends other priorities.

Phoenix is ​​a globally recognized leader in climate adaptation and mitigation, not only because the culture of our community provides fertile ground for bold, innovative policies—but because of absolute necessity as an ever-adapting desert city. We face unprecedented drought along the precious but overstretched Colorado River, historic energy demand coupled with exponential growth in the Valley, and ongoing air quality challenges. It is more important than ever to double down on our climate commitments. In Phoenix, this work is going full steam ahead.

Just a few weeks ago, we published our first Climate Action Plan Progress Report, which, among many milestones since the plan was adopted in 2021, showed an impressive 20.5% reduction in per capita greenhouse gas emissions from since 2012.

But we need to do more to achieve our goals – and working with businesses, community leaders and regional partners will help us get there. Whether we’re making long-term investments to strengthen our water security or demanding a more diverse and reliable energy infrastructure — we need creativity and vision from those in elected office. We cannot afford to surrender our progress, nor can we hand over power to those who promise to undo critical progress.

This November, we have a chance to make our voices heard at every level of government, from the White House to our state legislature. I encourage Phoenicians to vote for leaders who recognize the need for bold action to address the challenge of climate change—leaders who will move us forward, not backward. Our continued prosperity depends on it.

Editor’s note: Kate Gallego has been mayor of Phoenix since 2019. She served on the City Council from 2014 to 2018. Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcome at [email protected].