December 9, 2021 -- Mayor Sylvester Turner issued the following statement on President Biden's announcement to make the federal government carbon neutral by 2050:
“I applaud President Biden’s leadership in taking another bold and important step towards climate action and resilience. As Chair of U.S. Climate Mayors and the Global Resilient Cities Network, I see every day how cities are prioritizing climate action and resilience strategies to meet the goals set forth by the Paris Agreement while creating transformational and equitable change in communities.
“In the city of Houston, we have used renewable energy to power 100% of our city buildings since April 2020. In our ambition to lead as the energy transition capital of the world, our Climate Action Plan also aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. As we have locally, the Biden administration sees that moving to more sustainable buildings, vehicles, and infrastructure spurs innovation, creates great jobs that cannot be outsourced, and provides a pathway to a more resilient future.
“This step by our federal government goes a long way to providing a strong foundation for an energy transition that will transcend industries, keep hard-working people employed, and improve neighborhoods through just and equitable progress. This executive order, coupled with the historic infrastructure bill, demonstrates the federal government’s commitment and decisive leadership in tackling the climate crisis.”