In 1997 parties from around the globe met in Kyoto Japan for a third Conference of Parties (COP 3) as part of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to discuss climate protection. A pledge was made by United States to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 7% below 1990 levels by 2010. However, following the Kyoto Protocol, the U.S. Senate failed to ratify the international accord, leaving the U.S. without a national carbon market. President George Bush proceeded to denounce the pact in 2001.
Even though Washington neglected to ratify the Kyoto Accord, mayors from across the United States strive toward environmental awareness. United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) organizes mayors from around the U.S towards implementing environmental programs. “The United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) is the official non-partisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are 1,408 such cities in the country today. Each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor” (https://www.usmayors.org/the-conference/about/).
Following Kyoto, over a thousand American mayors pledged to meet the goals set forth during COP 3 to reduce GHGs emissions (Climate Capitalism). A quote from the acting vice president of USCM affirms their continued commitment. “From Kyoto to Paris to today, on behalf of the Conference, it is our collective opinion that withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord is a shortsighted decision. While we don’t necessarily disagree on ‘America First,’ it cannot be ‘America Only’ – pitting environmental protection against economic growth, which is a false choice. Mayors will do what we need to do on our own. This is not the first time when we have had to act without Washington” (Mayor Mitch Landrieu; https://www.usmayors.org/2017/06/02/mayors-undeterred-by-paris-climate-accord-withdrawal/).
