Bostonians Gather at U.S. Conference of Mayors, Calling on Mayor Walsh to Walk the Talk on Climate

BOSTON, MA -- Hundreds of Boston residents and environmental leaders gathered outside the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting this morning to urge Boston Mayor Marty Walsh to take more aggressive action on climate change.

“We applaud Mayor Walsh for setting the goal for the city of carbon neutrality by 2050,” said James Michel from the Boston Clean Energy Coalition, “but currently we are expanding our carbon footprint by building new gas pipelines, and gas guzzling buildings. We have the technology and expertise to do better; we need our leadership to change direction.” 

“Growing our dependence on fracked gas further delays the transition to renewables and energy efficiency we need. Delaying climate action costs human lives,” said Alan Palm, Director of Organizing with 350 Mass and the Better Future Project.

The “Walk the Talk on Climate” rally was organized by a dozen community-based organizations and statewide environmental organizations including Boston Climate Action Network, Massachusetts Sierra Club, 350 Mass, Mothers Out Front, Conservation Law Foundation, Sunrise Movement, Youth on Board, Elders Climate Action Network, We Are Boston’s Waterfront, and the Boston Clean Energy Coalition. Organizers aimed to raise awareness of several important climate change initiatives that have languished under Mayor Walsh.

“Mere months ago Boston suffered record breaking flooding and storm surges,” said Emily Norton, Sierra Club Massachusetts Chapter Director. “Yet the Walsh Administration is still approving millions of square feet of new development without mandating climate mitigation or resiliency, and approving new fracked gas infrastructure to luxury apartment buildings. We need to see Boston do more and truly lead when it comes to protecting Boston residents and communities from climate change.”

“Since I moved to Boston, I have personally witnessed record snowfall, a major drought, massive flooding, and a city ill prepared to deal with this climate chaos,”  said Carol Gregory of Conservation Law Foundation and a Jamaica Plain resident. “Climate change is not far off in the future, it is happening right here and right now. We don’t have time for more talking. We need bold action to protect residents in the face of threats to our lives and our homes.”

Organizers point to several specific proposals that Mayor Walsh has ignored or failed to act on during his tenure, including:

• Implementation of Community Choice Energy -- approved unanimously by Boston City Council

• Commitment to purchase 100 percent renewable energy

• Promoting/advocating for net zero building standards

• Resiliency plans to protect waterfront neighborhoods from rising sea levels

• Banning new fossil fuel pipelines within city limits

• Divestment from fossil fuels

"According to city data, Boston's emissions are on the rise. If Marty Walsh wants to be known as a climate leader, he needs to act now to lower Boston's emissions by implementing Community Choice Energy," said Andy Bean, Campaign Coordinator for the Boston Climate Action Network, "otherwise there will be no sea wall high enough." 

“We stand ready to partner with Mayor Walsh to make Boston a climate leader,” said Edith Buhs, a local community leader with Mother’s Out Front, “But he has to walk the talk. Words without action don’t cut it.”

“There is tremendous passion among individual citizens and grassroots organizations for climate action and environmental engagement,” said Kannan Thiruvengadam, Director of Eastie farm and resident of East Boston. “The city should be harnessing that clean renewable energy to expedite much needed change. The seeds of change are in the grassroots.”