U.S. Mayors Pressure Congress on Carbon Pricing, Climate Lawsuits and a Green New Deal

Mayors LaToya Cantrell of New Orleans and Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles were among the leaders attending the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The group, representing hundreds of U.S. cities, voiced support for several climate change-related resolutions. Credit: U.S. Conference of Mayors The mayors of hundreds of U.S. cities called on Congress this week to pass legislation to put a price on carbon emissions, citing the financial and social strains their communities are already experiencing because of climate change. After some contention, they also voiced opposition to any congressional action that would limit cities’ ability to sue fossil fuel companies for damage linked to climate change. That vote marked a stand by the mayors against one of the key policy trade-offs sought by big oil companies that have backed the idea of carbon pricing. The carbon pricing resolution, introduced by Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski, calls for a price "sufficient enough to reduce carbon emissions in line with ambitions detailed in the Paris Agreement on climate change." "We need our elected leaders in Washington to do what many of us as mayors are already doing at home: Move swiftly to adopt policies to mitigate the effects of climate change […]

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