Climate Change

Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative announces new coastal protection programs for Michigan

The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative announced on Thursday that it will expand its Resilient Coastal Projects Initiative to include shoreline in West Michigan, from St. Joseph to Petoskey.  Read the article.

Holland’s Mayor Hopes to be Involved in Lake Michigan Coastline Preservation Effort.

An ongoing effort to protect coast land along the Great Lakes is expanding to Michigan’s West Coast.  Read the article.

Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative director on the impact of climate change.

Coastal erosion projected to cost the Great Lakes $2 billion over the next 5 years, due to climate change.  View the video.

Jonathan Altenberg discusses saving the Great Lakes

On Earth Day, Jonathan Altenberg, the executive director for The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative joins WGN News at 4 to discuss initiatives to save the long-term viability of the Great Lakes.  View the video.

How Climate Change Is Affecting The Great Lakes

Jonathan Altenberg, the president of a binational coalition of U.S. and Canadian mayors working to protect the Great Lakes, spoke with WCCO-TV’s Erin Hassanzadeh about specific ways the bodies of water are threatened by climate change.  View the video.

Coastal damage along Lake Michigan will cost Illinois communities over $600 million to fix thanks to climate change

July 17, 2021 – WBBM 780 News Radio:  A survey of 12 Illinois cities, villages, and other jurisdictions along Lake Michigan showed that coastal damage from climate change will cost at least $608 million over the next five years.  Listen to the broadcast.

Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Mayors Denounce President Trump’s Withdrawal from Paris Agreement on Climate Change

The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative (Cities Initiative), a coalition representing 130 United States and Canadian mayors and their communities of over 17 million people, strongly denounce the decision of President Trump to back out of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.  The decision is short sighted, ill… Read More

Join The Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Cities Initiative at the Climate Leadership Conference, March 1-3 in Chicago

Join us March 1-3 in Chicago to connect with the nation’s leaders on climate at the sixth annual Climate Leadership Conference (CLC). The CLC convenes around U.S. EPA’s prestigious Climate Leadership Awards, and brings climate, energy and sustainability professionals together to address climate change through policy, innovation, and business solutions…. Read More

Cities Initiative Exec. Director talks Urban-Rural Partnerships

Cities Initiative Executive Director David Ullrich spoke at the Michigan Water Symposium on January 14, 2016. In his interview with Kirk Heinze of MLive, Ullrich discussed his experiences at the Paris Climate Summit for Local Leaders in early December and the importance of collaborative work between urban and rural stakeholders, saying, “there… Read More

What It’s Like to be in a Room with 446 Mayors: Dave Ullrich on COP21

“The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, and the second best time is now.” – Chinese Proverb The 21st Conference of the Parties on Climate Change was held in Paris in December 2015. Among the activities scheduled was the Climate Summit for Local Leaders, which gathered… Read More