Mayors from around the world will gather in Chicago Monday as they prepare to sign a first-of-its-kind international agreement after President Donald Trump’s Administration decided to walk away from the Paris climate accord.
The more than 50 mayors and global climate leaders will converge on the city for the North American Climate Summit, part of a commitment to addressing climate change on the local level.
On Tuesday, they will sign the Chicago Climate Charter, which aligns with the Paris agreement.
"From closing coal plants, to investing in electric vehicles and public transportation, to reducing electricity usage in our buildings, to updating streetlights across the city, Chicago is showcasing to the world the impact that cities can have on climate change for their residents and for people around the world,” Mayor Rahm Emanuel said in a statement. “I am proud to stand together with the leading global city climate networks including the Global Covenant of Mayors, Climate Mayors and C40 to take decisive action to improve our environment while bettering our communities, and that begins right here.”
Earlier this year, Trump declared that the U.S. would no longer be a part of the landmark 2015 accord with 196 countries, claiming the non-binding agreement imposed unfair standards on American businesses and workers. His decision marked a major setback to worldwide efforts to combat climate change and placed the U.S. in opposition to the stance of some of the country's closest foreign allies.
Among those attending the Chicago summit are the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo; Mayor of San Francisco, Ed Lee; Mayor of Mexico City, Miguel Ángel Mancera; Mayor of Montreal, Valérie Plante; Mayor of Vancouver, Gregor Robertson; Mayor of Phoenix, Greg Stanton; and dozens of others.
Former President Barack Obama, who enacted the deal, is expected to make an appearance at the Tuesday event, City Hall sources told NBC 5.
