Despite GOP prez candidates' denialism, mayors act to limit climate change

West Coast Mayors Pledge To End New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure

At a press conference held by civil society groups, 10 mayors and over 30 elected officials pledge to follow Portland Mayor Charlie Hales' lead on banning new fossil fuel infrastructure - December 20, 2015

VIDEO: On December 11, 2015, following a press conference from the mayors from five west coast cities--LA, San Francisco, Eugene, Portland and Seattle--who had gathered in Portland to discuss climate change.

Civil society groups held their own press conference to present a list of ten west coast mayors—including the mayor of Richmond, CA, home to a Chevron refinery--and over 30 elected officials from West Coast cities who had pledged to follow Portland Mayor Charlie Hales' lead and put an end to new fossil fuel infrastructure in their jurisdictions.

At the press conference, they also announced a declaration calling for an end to all new fossil fuel infrastructure on the West coast of the U.S. and Canada, which had garnered the support of groups representing millions of Americans and Canadians.

CHARLIE HALES, MAYOR OF PORTLAND: Good morning, everyone, and welcome. When Pope Francis issued his encyclical Laudato Si, he tied together two seemingly separate issues, which is the climate and the care for our common home, and suffering of vulnerable people. And a lot of us were moved by that message, and in fact some of us as mayors had the chance to hear from him directly in Rome as he explained that connection between people's lives and vulnerable people and climate change.

(Video and transcript here.)