22 January 2010, Washington D.C., USA

Addressing the Mayors and Business Leaders Breakfast at the US Conference of Mayors, Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard emphasized the central role of mayors in climate protection and asked for a stronger role for mayors in United Nations climate change negotiations.

He said that "national governments failed to reach agreement on a global, binding treaty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions" in Copenhagen and that "In Copenhagen, we [the mayors] were not at the negotiating table with world leaders…. We cannot leave this issue to national governments only.

"Mayors know and understand firsthand the risks and realities of climate change," and thus need to have a stronger voice in the United Nations Climate Change Conference negotiations," he said.

Cities account for two-thirds of the world's total energy use, and many cities are meeting this responsibility with bold action. For example, Mexico City's goal is to reduce GHG emission by seven million tons between 2008 and 2012, investing nearly one billion dollars a year to make the city more sustainable.  Since becoming the mayor of Mexico City in December 2006, Ebrard has developed a multi-year Climate Action Program for his city to reduce global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, better manage solid waste, and encourage more sustainable use of resources.

Ebrard pledged that in the months ahead, he will work with U.S. Conference of Mayors leadership to enable the world's mayors have a greater role in the COP 16 U.N. meeting in Mexico. Mexico will host the Conference of the Parties (COP) 16 United Nations Climate Change Conference, November 29-December 10, 2010. Read more…

Ebrard was elected new Chair of the World Mayors Council on Climate Change (WMCCC) in December 2009 in Copenhagen. The Council is an alliance of more than 30 committed local government leaders, representing a network of local governments working to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Read more…