Houston Republic

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner will take over the position of chairman of a national coalition of city mayors tasked with improving local economies and an environment that is sustainable.

Sylvester succeeds outgoing chair Martin J. Walsh the mayor of Boston. Walsh was recently appointed by President Joe Biden to serve as U.S. Secretary of Labor.

"I congratulate Mayor Walsh on his appointment and thank him for his work to prioritize climate change. It is an honor to succeed him as Chair of Climate Mayors," Turner said on his website houstontx.gov. "Cities are powerful drivers in the race against climate change. Mayors are investing in clean energy, greening our economies, and creating more sustainable and resilient communities across the U.S. The global pandemic has brought the connection between climate change and community health to the forefront of our cities and our society. With a new administration in the White House, Climate Mayors are prepared to lead swift, bold action on climate that will help our nation recover and build for a better future."

Founded in 2014, the coalition titled “Climate Mayors” consists of 474 city mayors in the U.S. the website said are working to fight climate change and global warming.

Turner’s office said the mayor had seen the community through difficult recent events such as a series of storms including Hurricane Harvey in August 2017. Turner had been instrumental in the approval of Sunnyside Solar Project, a public-private effort that created in Houston the largest urban solar farm in the country.

For more information go to climatemayors.org.