The City of Asheville has a strong record and long-standing commitment to sustainability. That’s why Mayor Esther Manheimer signed on to a letter sent by Climate Mayors to Congressional leaders urging bold action to protect our planet and build a more just economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Because only bold action can tackle these urgent problems, I signed the Climate Mayors letter urging Congress to invest in an economic recovery that injects more resilience, equity, and sustainability into our communities,” Mayor Manheimer said.
The global coronavirus pandemic has hit communities of color and low-income families particularly hard — the same families, workers, and neighborhoods who suffer most from the ill effects of climate change, including dangerous emissions, skyrocketing temperatures, intense wildfires, and extreme weather events like floods and hurricanes. Climate Mayors are determined to build a strong, green economy that ensures all Americans are prepared for future health, economic, and environmental shocks.
Recognizing the need to work together at every level of government to move beyond this devastating pandemic, Mayor Manheimer and other Climate Mayors strongly urged federal legislators to work with state and city leadership to build new policies and amplify existing programs that have proven effective.
In the letter, Climate Mayors list several goals that Congress should prioritize as part of the recovery, including:
- Build for a better future: Returning to the status quo is not sufficient in meeting the challenges of climate change and inequities in our communities. We must increase our resolve and ambition to reinvest in America’s communities.
- Leading with equity: Federal investments in our municipalities must prioritize those communities who have been left behind, and frontline communities and people of color who have been disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change and COVID-19.
- Prioritizing multiple benefits: The best investments will create jobs, strengthen communities, and improve health outcomes in our cities and towns.Read a copy of the letter here: Climate Mayors Congressional Letter 2020