Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego will be the next chair of Climate Mayors , a community of nearly 350 mayors who have organized to help each other lead city responses to climate change across the nation. The appointment was announced Monday afternoon by Kate Wright, executive director of Climate Mayors, and outgoing chair Mayor Justin Bibb of Cleveland, Ohio. Gallego has been a member of the group since taking office in 2019 and has previously served as a vice-chair. Two new vice-chairs, Mayor Lauren McLean of Boise, Idaho, and Mayor Andre Dickens of Atlanta, Georgia, have also joined the 2025 leadership team. Arizona is represented in the organization by five other mayors: Becky Daggett of Flagstaff, Scott Jablow of Sedona, Corey Woods of Tempe, Regina Romero of Tucson and Jorge Maldonado of Nogales. Climate Mayors, which formed in 2014 and now represents 46 states with bipartisan leadership, aims to support the “economic, health and resiliency benefits to communities” by helping cities maintain momentum on climate action despite nationwide setbacks or delays. The approach aligns with what legal scholars have previously told The Arizona Republic about cities and states often achieving more success on emissions reduction goals, due to greater flexibility in local rules and regulations, compared with countries that repeatedly fall short of national benchmarks and international agreements. Gallego’s leadership in the group could result in Phoenix securing more federal funding to advance local climate initiatives, as well as a greater national focus on regional climate impacts like extreme heat and water shortages. During a call with reporters Monday, Bibb discussed how his involvement as chair seemed to benefit Cleveland. Both Bibb and Gallego welcomed news on Monday of new federal electrification funding for their cities. The new role could also invite increased scrutiny and elevated standards for Gallego’s climate […]