CHICAGO, IL, June 7, 2023 - The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative was pleased to host Mayor Brandon Johnson of Chicago at its 20th anniversary Annual General Meeting today, where he continued to outline his vision for climate action and environmental justice.

"Climate action and environmental justice are top priorities for my administration, and we will address them with equal vigor," said Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. "Whether reducing greenhouse gas emissions or removing lead pipes for safe drinking water, we must ensure that every Chicagoan – especially those suffering from decades of disinvestment and neglect – benefits from our efforts to prepare for climate change and challenge conditions that continue to harm our environment and public health."

Mayor Johnson also discussed the Inflation Reduction Act and how such federal funding could contribute to his plans to equitably transform the City of Chicago.

The Cities Initiative's annual gathering seeks to galvanize local climate action in communities across the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin. A recent Cities Initiative survey of more than 130 U.S. and Canadian local jurisdictions revealed that only 17 percent of respondents were in the process of implementing a climate action plan while more than a quarter had not yet started developing a plan. Local elected leaders attending the annual meeting in Chicago are receiving hands-on training in climate action planning that can be applied to their respective communities, learning policy insights from senior U.S. and Canadian officials and brainstorming practical strategies for enhanced collaboration with their counterparts across the basin.

"Mayors have been – and will continue to be – at the forefront of climate action," said Mayor Billy McKinney of Zion, IL, the Cities Initiative's Chair. "I am excited to continue to work with Mayor Johnson and other inspiring leaders to improve climate action and build a more equitable future for all basin residents."

About the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative

The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative is a binational, mayor-led coalition of U.S. and Canadian cities dedicated to the environmental and socioeconomic health of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin. With more than 230 member cities, the Cities Initiative is the largest municipally-driven organization in the basin focused on these issues.

SOURCE The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative