Voice of Mayors
Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Cities Initiative Mayors Mobilize over Great Lakes Restoration and Climate Change
Member mayors of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative met at their annual meeting and conference, hosted by outgoing Chair Mayor Denis Coderre, in Montreal. “This has been a very busy year. The Trump administration backed out of cutting the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative for the remainder of 2017, but we must continue… Read More about “Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Cities Initiative Mayors Mobilize over Great Lakes Restoration and Climate Change”
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 advised, and not in the… Read More about “Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Mayors Denounce President Trump’s Withdrawal from Paris Agreement on Climate Change”
Proposed US Federal Budget Cuts Threaten the Great Lakes
The Trump Administration released its proposed 2018 budget to Congress today, eliminating $300 million in funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). The GLRI provides funding for cleaning up toxic waste sites, improving storm water management, combatting invasive species like Asian carp, and protecting habitat for fish and wildlife in the basin. Waterfront cities… Read More about “Proposed US Federal Budget Cuts Threaten the Great Lakes”
Mayor Carruthers of Traverse City Joins Cities Initiative Board
The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative (Cities Initiative) is proud to announce the newest member of the board of directors, Mayor Jim Carruthers of Traverse City, Michigan. “I look forward to Mayor Carruthers’s contribution to the Board,” said Mayor Denis Coderre, chair of the Cities Initiative Board of Directors and Mayor of Montréal. “His… Read More about “Mayor Carruthers of Traverse City Joins Cities Initiative Board”
Success for the Great Lakes: WIIN Act Signed Into Law By Obama
The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative (Cities Initiative) is very pleased the United States Congress passed and President Obama signed into law the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act. WIIN includes many provisions that are critically important to the Great Lakes. It includes authorization of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI)… Read More about “Success for the Great Lakes: WIIN Act Signed Into Law By Obama”
Duluth’s Mayor Larson Joins Cities Initiative Board of Directors
The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative (Cities Initiative) is proud to announce the newest member of the Board of Directors, Mayor Emily Larson of Duluth, Minnesota. Mayor Larson will be joining as the 16th member of the Board. As a prominent shipping port and the second-largest city on Lake Superior, the City of… Read More about “Duluth’s Mayor Larson Joins Cities Initiative Board of Directors”
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 mayors and other representatives of… Read More about “What It’s Like to be in a Room with 446 Mayors: Dave Ullrich on COP21”
Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Municipalities Act on Climate Change
Over the past few months, Cities Initiative staff have inventoried action on climate change by member municipalities in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Region. Of our 119 members: 73 are taking action on climate change in some way 31 have implemented greenhouse gas reduction targets 17 have joined the Compact of Mayors, an international effort for local… Read More about “Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Municipalities Act on Climate Change”
Cities lead on climate action, GLSLCI partners with Compact of Mayors
The Cities Initiative is excited to partner with the Compact of Mayors, an organization created by Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City, who serves as a Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change for the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The Compact demonstrates local government leadership in addressing greenhouse gas emissions in the… Read More about “Cities lead on climate action, GLSLCI partners with Compact of Mayors”
Jordan River Partnership
Mayors from the Cities Initiative and from the Jordan River Valley convened at the University of Illinois, Chicago’s “Water After Borders” Conference. The mayors signed a Memorandum of Understanding to create a “Sister Waters” partnership between the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative and EcoPeace Middle East, which represents the mayors of the Jordan… Read More about “Jordan River Partnership”