Encinitas mayor supports Paris Climate Agreement

Encinitas Mayor Catherine Blakespear has joined the growing number of American cities (248 and climbing) signing a statement in support of the commitments of the Paris Climate Agreement. The statement was prepared by the Climate Mayors in response to President Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.

The Climate Mayors is a group of U.S. mayors committed to confronting climate change at a local level and working together to influence energy policy at the federal level. By signing this statement, Mayor Blakespear reinforces that the City of Encinitas will adopt, honor and uphold the commitments to the goals enshrined in the Paris Climate Agreement.

The City of Encinitas is well on its way to delivering on this commitment as it is currently in the process of updating its Climate Action Plan, which sets aggressive goals for cutting carbon emission rates and outlines specific strategies for achieving those goals. The goals of the Climate Action Plan will align with those of the Paris Climate Agreement. Common tactics for cities to reduce their GHG emissions include prioritizing continued investments into renewable energy and energy efficiency, reducing the energy consumption of transportation, supporting a green energy economy, and taking additional measures as needed.

“Environmental stewardship is woven into the fabric of our community and we know we need to take action to protect the place we all call home,” said Blakespear. “I have signed the Climate Mayors’ statement to show the City of Encinitas’ commitment to meeting the goals of our Climate Action Plan as well as doing our part to meet the 1.5 degrees Celsius target of the Paris Agreement. It is up to all of us to take a stand by holding ourselves accountable and move to action so that our community can continue to thrive well into the future.”

Climate Mayors (also known as Mayors National Climate Action Agenda or MNCAA) is a network of mayors, representing over 59 million Americans, who are committed to working together to strengthen local efforts for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting efforts for binding federal and global-level policy making.

For more information on the City of Encinitas’ Climate Action Plan, visit www.encinitasca.gov/climate. More about the Climate Mayors can be found at www.climate-mayors.org.

— Submitted press release