Miami mayors go to Scotland to talk about cities’ roles in combating climate change

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez was in Scotland Friday, leading a group of U.S. mayors to discuss how cities can reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the face of climate change as a king tide and hours of rain badly flooded parts of

Francis Suarez

South Florida.

The day after he won reelection, Suarez traveled to Glasgow on Wednesday for COP 26, the United Nations climate change conference where global powers will discuss their commitments to curb emissions around the globe. As a current vice president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors — and its soon-topresident — Suarez is leading a group that includes the mayors of St. Petersburg, New Orleans, Des Moines and Burnsville, Minnesota.

Suarez shared pictures

Thursday of a chat he had with Prince Charles.

“Touching down in Glasgow has been an incredible experience thus far,” Suarez said in a statement Friday. “I’ve had the opportunity to meet with dignitaries from around the world who share the City of Miami and [my] conviction in decarbonating the earth’s atmosphere — and I’m here with some American Mayors representing the interests of every American city.”

Suarez and other mayors have been meeting with leaders of other international cities to exchange best practices and other policies to help local governments achieve greenhouse gas emission goals. The group is also meeting with members of the Biden administration to discuss necessary tools for cities to achieve their climate mitigation and resiliency goals.

Miami’s city government plans to go carbon neutral by 2050, a pledge Suarez made in 2019. It’s unclear exactly how the city will accomplish that feat as the final draft of the city’s plan for reducing

Argentine President Alberto Fernández arrives for COP26 in Glasgow on Nov. 1.

emissions has been delayed.

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava also spent time in Glasgow. She left Oct. 31 and returned this week. She participated in a panel called “mayors for heat action,” meeting with mayors of other international cities and

Daniella Levine Cava

speaking at an event on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“My role here is to be part of local governments that work collaboratively and put pressure on national governments to take the necessary steps and and make the necessary commitments,” Levine Cava said in a social media video posted this week from Glasgow.

Joey Flechas: 305-376-3602, @joeflech