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National Observer
14 hours ago
- Politics
- National Observer
Mayors are making climate action personal. It's working.
This story was originally published by Grist and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration In the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic, Justin Bibb was living in a tight, one-bedroom apartment in Cleveland, Ohio. He couldn't open his windows because his home was an old office building converted to residential units — not exactly conducive to physical and mental well-being in the middle of a global crisis. So he sought refuge elsewhere: a large green space, down near the lakefront, that he could stroll to. 'Unfortunately,' Bibb said, 'that's not the case for many of our residents in the city of Cleveland.' A native of Cleveland, Bibb was elected the 58th mayor of the city in 2021. Immediately after taking office, he took inspiration from the '15-minute city' concept of urban design, an idea that envisions people reaching their daily necessities — work, grocery stores, pharmacies — within 15 minutes by walking, biking, or taking public transit. That reduces dependence on cars, and also slashes carbon emissions and air pollution. In Cleveland, Bibb's goal is to put all residents within a 10-minute walk of a green space by the year 2045, by converting abandoned lots to parks and other efforts. Cleveland is far from alone in its quest to adapt to a warming climate. As American cities have grown in size and population and gotten hotter, they — not the federal government — have become crucibles for climate action: Cities are electrifying their public transportation, forcing builders to make structures more energy efficient, and encouraging rooftop solar. Together with ambitious state governments, hundreds of cities large and small are pursuing climate action plans — documents that lay out how they will reduce emissions and adapt to extreme weather — with or without support from the feds. Cleveland's plan, for instance, calls for all its commercial and residential buildings to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. For local leaders, climate action has grown all the more urgent since the Trump administration has been boosting fossil fuels and threatening to sue states to roll back environmental regulations. Last week, Republicans in the House passed a budget bill that would end nearly all the clean energy tax credits from the Biden administration's signature climate law, the Inflation Reduction Act. 'Because Donald Trump is in the White House again, it's going to be up to mayors and governors to really enact and sustain the momentum around addressing climate change at the local level,' said Bibb, who formerly chaired Climate Mayors, a bipartisan group of nearly 350 mayors. City leaders can move much faster than federal agencies, and are more in-tune with what their people actually want, experts said. 'They're on the ground and they're hearing from their residents every day, so they have a really good sense of what the priorities are,' said Kate Johnson, regional director for North America at C40 Cities, a global network of nearly 100 mayors fighting climate change. 'You see climate action really grounded in the types of things that are going to help people.' Shifting from a reliance on fossil fuels to clean energy isn't just about reducing a city's carbon emissions, but about creating jobs and saving money — a tangible argument that mayors can make to their people. Bibb said a pilot program in Cleveland that helped low- to moderate-income households get access to free solar panels ended up reducing their utility bills by 60 percent. The biggest concern for Americans right now isn't climate change, Bibb added. 'It's the cost of living, and so we have to marry these two things together,' he said. 'I think mayors are in a very unique position to do that.' To further reduce costs and emissions, cities like Seattle and Washington, D.C. are scrambling to better insulate structures, especially affordable housing, by installing double-paned windows and better insulation. In Boston last year, the city government started an Equitable Emissions Investment Fund, which awards money for projects that make buildings more efficient or add solar panels to their roofs. 'We are in a climate where energy efficiency remains the number one thing that we can do,' said Oliver Sellers-Garcia, commissioner of the environment and Green New Deal director in the Boston government. 'And there are so many other comfort and health benefits from being in an efficient, all-electric environment.' To that end, cities are deploying loads of heat pumps, hyper-efficient appliances that warm and cool a space. New York City, for instance, is spending $70 million to install 30,000 of the appliances in its public housing. The ultimate goal is to have as many heat pumps as possible running in energy-efficient homes — along with replacing gas stoves with induction ranges — and drawing electricity from renewables. Metropolises like Los Angeles and Pittsburgh are creating new green spaces, which reduce urban temperatures and soak up rainwater to prevent flooding. A park is a prime example of 'multisolving': one intervention that fixes a bunch of problems at once. Another is deploying electric vehicle chargers in underserved neighborhoods, as Cleveland is doing, and making their use free for residents. This encourages the adoption of those vehicles, which reduces carbon emissions and air pollution. That, in turn, improves public health in those neighborhoods, which tend to have a higher burden of pollution than richer areas. Elizabeth Sawin, director of the Multisolving Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, said that these efforts will be more important than ever as the Trump administration cuts funding for health programs. 'If health care for poor children is going to be depleted — with, say, Medicaid under threat — cities can't totally fix that,' Sawin said. 'But if they can get cleaner air in cities, they can at least have fewer kids who are struggling from asthma attacks and other respiratory illnesses.' All this work — building parks, installing solar panels, weatherizing buildings — creates jobs, both within a city and in surrounding rural areas. Construction workers commute in, while urban farms tap rural growers for their expertise. And as a city gets more of its power from renewables, it can benefit counties far away: The largest solar facility east of the Mississippi River just came online in downstate Illinois, providing so much electricity to Chicago that the city's 400 municipal buildings now run entirely on renewable power. 'The economic benefits and the jobs aren't just necessarily accruing to the cities — which might be seen as big blue cities,' Johnson said. 'They're buying their electric school buses from factories in West Virginia, and they're building solar and wind projects in rural areas.' So cities aren't just preparing themselves for a warmer future, but helping accelerate a transition to renewables and spreading economic benefits across the American landscape. 'We as elected officials have to do a better job of articulating how this important part of public policy is connected to the everyday lived experience,' Bibb said. 'Unfortunately, my party has done a bad job of that. But I think as mayors, we are well positioned to make that case at the local level.'
Fast Company
5 days ago
- Business
- Fast Company
As Trump boosts fossil fuels, Cleveland's mayor is making climate action personal. It's working
In the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic, Justin Bibb was living in a tight, one-bedroom apartment in Cleveland, Ohio. He couldn't open his windows because his home was an old office building converted to residential units—not exactly conducive to physical and mental well-being in the middle of a global crisis. So he sought refuge elsewhere: a large green space, down near the lakefront, where he could stroll. 'Unfortunately,' Bibb said, 'that's not the case for many of our residents in the city of Cleveland.' A native of Cleveland, Bibb was elected the 58th mayor of the city in 2021. Immediately after taking office, he took inspiration from the '15-minute city' concept of urban design, an idea that envisions people reaching their daily necessities—work, grocery stores, pharmacies—within 15 minutes by walking, biking, or taking public transit. That reduces dependence on cars, and also slashes carbon emissions and air pollution. In Cleveland, Bibb's goal is to put all residents within a 10-minute walk of a green space by the year 2045, by converting abandoned lots to parks and other efforts. Cleveland is far from alone in its quest to adapt to a warming climate. As American cities have grown in size and population and gotten hotter, they—not the federal government—have become crucibles for climate action: Cities are electrifying their public transportation, forcing builders to make structures more energy efficient, and encouraging rooftop solar. Together with ambitious state governments, hundreds of cities large and small are pursuing climate action plans—documents that lay out how they will reduce emissions and adapt to extreme weather—with or without support from the feds. Cleveland's plan, for instance, calls for all its commercial and residential buildings to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. For local leaders, climate action has grown all the more urgent since the Trump administration has been boosting fossil fuels and threatening to sue states to roll back environmental regulations. Last month, Republicans in the House passed a budget bill that would end nearly all the clean energy tax credits from the Biden administration's signature climate law, the Inflation Reduction Act. 'Because Donald Trump is in the White House again, it's going to be up to mayors and governors to really enact and sustain the momentum around addressing climate change at the local level,' said Bibb, who formerly chaired Climate Mayors, a bipartisan group of nearly 350 mayors. City leaders can move much faster than federal agencies, and are more in-tune with what their people actually want, experts said. 'They're on the ground and they're hearing from their residents every day, so they have a really good sense of what the priorities are,' said Kate Johnson, regional director for North America at C40 Cities, a global network of nearly 100 mayors fighting climate change. 'You see climate action really grounded in the types of things that are going to help people.' Shifting from a reliance on fossil fuels to clean energy isn't just about reducing a city's carbon emissions, but about creating jobs and saving money—a tangible argument that mayors can make to their people. Bibb said a pilot program in Cleveland that helped low- to moderate-income households get access to free solar panels ended up reducing their utility bills by 60%. The biggest concern for Americans right now isn't climate change, Bibb added. 'It's the cost of living, and so we have to marry these two things together,' he said. 'I think mayors are in a very unique position to do that.' To further reduce costs and emissions, cities like Seattle and Washington, D.C. are scrambling to better insulate structures, especially affordable housing, by installing double-paned windows and better insulation. In Boston last year, the city government started an Equitable Emissions Investment Fund, which awards money for projects that make buildings more efficient or add solar panels to their roofs. 'We are in a climate where energy efficiency remains the number one thing that we can do,' said Oliver Sellers-Garcia, commissioner of the environment and Green New Deal director in the Boston government. 'And there are so many other comfort and health benefits from being in an efficient, all-electric environment.' To that end, cities are deploying loads of heat pumps, hyper-efficient appliances that warm and cool a space. New York City, for instance, is spending $70 million to install 30,000 of the appliances in its public housing. The ultimate goal is to have as many heat pumps as possible running in energy-efficient homes—along with replacing gas stoves with induction ranges—and drawing electricity from renewables. Metropolises like Los Angeles and Pittsburgh are creating new green spaces, which reduce urban temperatures and soak up rainwater to prevent flooding. A park is a prime example of 'multisolving': one intervention that fixes a bunch of problems at once. Another is deploying electric vehicle chargers in underserved neighborhoods, as Cleveland is doing, and making their use free for residents. This encourages the adoption of those vehicles, which reduces carbon emissions and air pollution. That, in turn, improves public health in those neighborhoods, which tend to have a higher burden of pollution than richer areas. Elizabeth Sawin, director of the Multisolving Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, said that these efforts will be more important than ever as the Trump administration cuts funding for health programs. 'If health care for poor children is going to be depleted—with, say, Medicaid under threat—cities can't totally fix that,' Sawin said. 'But if they can get cleaner air in cities, they can at least have fewer kids who are struggling from asthma attacks and other respiratory illnesses.' All this work—building parks, installing solar panels, weatherizing buildings—creates jobs, both within a city and in surrounding rural areas. Construction workers commute in, while urban farms tap rural growers for their expertise. And as a city gets more of its power from renewables, it can benefit counties far away: The largest solar facility east of the Mississippi River just came online in downstate Illinois, providing so much electricity to Chicago that the city's 400 municipal buildings now run entirely on renewable power. 'The economic benefits and the jobs aren't just necessarily accruing to the cities—which might be seen as big blue cities,' Johnson said. 'They're buying their electric school buses from factories in West Virginia, and they're building solar and wind projects in rural areas.' So cities aren't just preparing themselves for a warmer future, but helping accelerate a transition to renewables and spreading economic benefits across the American landscape. 'We as elected officials have to do a better job of articulating how this important part of public policy is connected to the everyday lived experience,' Bibb said. 'Unfortunately, my party has done a bad job of that. But I think as mayors, we are well positioned to make that case at the local level.'
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Legal bills show city cost of trying to keep Browns in Cleveland: I-Team
CLEVELAND (WJW) – The FOX 8 I-Team has found the city of Cleveland's fight to keep the Browns on the lakefront is now costing you a lot of money with legal bills soaring. The Browns plan to move to a dome in Brook Park, and the city of Cleveland is battling in county and federal court. While Browns fans check the scoreboard, the I-Team checked the bottom line of the legal bills. We found an outside law firm has already billed the city nearly a half-million dollars. Last week, the I-Team pressed Mayor Justin Bibb about the skyrocketing cost of the city battling the Browns in court. Teen boy dies after fall from Green Memorial Day parade float We had filed a records request for bills from an outside law firm. Records show the Jones Day firm has filed three bills so far, and each bill was for more than $100,000. The mayor made headlines last week, telling the I-Team the city has more important priorities than the Browns. 'The legal bills are going (up), so how much longer can the city continue that?' the I-Team asked. 'The residents that I've talked to, as well as the city council president, they want me to fight to keep the Browns in the city. They want me to make sure I use every tool to assure and prevent any economic harm to the city of Cleveland,' Bibb said. We've reported the city is paying the outside law firm $675 an hour. The records we received show the bottom-line amount billed so far, but not much else. We found most everything else blacked out. Some season ticketholders want the city to do whatever it takes to force the team to stay in the current stadium. Both the team and the city have filed legal arguments in federal and county court. The city is basing its arguments on the Modell Law, which restricts sports teams from moving. The next hearing is set to take place in a few weeks. State leaders still think it's too easy to amend the Ohio Constitution In weeks, the Browns will also find out if they get state money to help build a dome. The Browns have said they'll pay back any state money with profits from the project, and they believe it will generate money for all of Northeast Ohio. Meanwhile, the mayor said he's prepared to keep spending tax dollars to fight the Browns in court. 'Making sure we mitigate economic harm if they leave,' Bibb said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Reuters
22-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Browns owners moving forward with plan for domed stadium
May 22 - The Cleveland Browns' plan to leave downtown and build a $2.4 billion domed stadium in suburban Brook Park has turned into a public spat with Cleveland's mayor. The NFL team's owners, Jimmy and Dee Haslam, have not wavered for 18 months in choosing a new, indoor stadium as part of a larger, mixed-use development rather than renovating Huntington Bank Field. They view the latter option of pouring more than $1 billion into renovating the stadium -- where the team's lease expires after the 2028 season -- as a "short-term fix." Earlier this week, Cleveland mayor Justin Bibb said, "There are more important priorities than the Cleveland Browns," in an interview with Fox 8 News and noted redeveloping the lakefront area and upgrading Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. "If they go to Brook Park, God bless them. Good luck," Bibb told the Cleveland TV station. On Wednesday, however, Bibb issued a statement on social media that "reinforces his commitment to protecting Cleveland taxpayers," while calling the future of the Browns' stadium on the lakefront "a critical issue for Cleveland now and for generations to come." "Right now, the Haslams are taking extreme measures to relocate the team away from downtown -- an irreversible move that will negatively impact Cleveland and numerous small businesses that have stood by and supported their team for years through thick and thin," Bibb said in the statement. "Let's not forget, the Haslams previously committed to staying downtown as well." The Haslam Sports Group is prepared to finance a portion of the Brook Park facility, including $1.2 billion in private investment and a pledge to cover cost overruns, The Athletic reported. Brook Park is 20-plus miles southwest of Cleveland. The financing is leveraged against $600 million in bonds from both the state of Ohio and Cuyahoga County. That amount would be recouped with tax revenues created by the new project. The Ohio state Senate is considering the state budget after the Ohio House passed its version. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has until June 30 to sign the budget into law. Jimmy Haslam said in March that if funding is approved in June, the Browns hope to begin construction in early 2026. With plans underway for the stadium and entertainment complex in Brook Park, the Haslam Sports Group last month sent a letter to Cuyahoga County executives, The Athletic reported. "Renovating the (current) stadium and putting more than $1 billion into a short-term fix that would present the same dilemma 15 to 20 years from now is neither a strategic nor a fiscally responsible long-term approach," the letter said. The Browns and the city of Cleveland are battling on numerous fronts, including a lawsuit filed in January saying the team would violate the Modell Law if it moves. The law is named for former team owner Art Modell, who moved the Browns franchise to Baltimore and they became the Ravens in 1996. The law requires teams using taxpayer funding and playing in a tax-supported facility to obtain the city's approval or allow the city and others to buy the franchise before it moves from the facility. The Browns filed a challenge, saying the law only applies to teams trying to move out of Ohio, not within the state, and that the team can move with the expiration of the current lease. "I am fully committed to protecting our taxpayers, our downtown economy, and our treasured lakefront," Bibb said in his statement on Wednesday. "I will do everything in my power to keep the Browns where they belong -- in downtown Cleveland -- and will continue to fight for what is in the best interest of our residents." --Field Level Media
Axios
22-05-2025
- Axios
Cleveland's 2025 summer safety plan looks to build on past success
The City of Cleveland is again prioritizing summer safety as we head into Memorial Day weekend. Why it matters: The emphasis on safety is welcomed following a crime-ridden summer in 2023 that included a high-profile mass shooting in the Warehouse District. Last year's inaugural Summer Safety Plan resulted in a 13% reduction in overall crime and a 37% drop in murders, compared to summer 2023. State of play: Mayor Justin Bibb unveiled this year's plan Tuesday alongside police chief Dorothy Todd. The program builds on last year's success and includes combined efforts across city agencies to crack down on housing and building code violations, create engagement programs for seniors and youth, increase street speed table installation and more. The big picture: The city will also continue its Raising Investment in Safety for Everyone initiative (RISE), which includes partnering with other law enforcement groups to patrol downtown and conduct warrant sweeps. RISE also helped the Division of Police add 134 recruits in 2024, its most since 2019. Earlier this week, the Cleveland City Council approved a new contract providing officers a 3% pay raise each year for the next three years. Zoom in: All aspects of the safety plan prioritize neighborhoods with higher crime rates, with more police and regular neighborhood walks to engage residents. "There's a small portion of our city that's responsible for a majority of violent crime," quoted Bibb as saying. "And so, we've identified those hot spots, and we're going to be doing neighborhood walks and have targeted law enforcement in those hot spots."
