Atlanta Mayor Dickens picked for leadership role in climate-focused mayors network

Drew Kann, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Jan 7, 2025

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ATLANTA — With the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump likely to scale back federal efforts to limit climate change, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has been tabbed to help lead a bipartisan coalition of U.S. mayors focused on addressing the global problem at the local level.

On Monday, Dickens was named the vice chair of Climate Mayors, a network of almost 350 mayors from cities and towns that are home to 46 million Americans. Founded in 2014, the group aims to advance local, climate-friendly policies and “build political will for federal and global climate action.”

Dickens said he was honored to step into the role at “such a critical time,” adding that cities are on the front lines of the climate fight.

“We are innovation hubs and the closest level of government to our residents, so we’re really uniquely positioned to implement impactful climate solutions,” Dickens said during a virtual news conference Monday.

Dickens will serve alongside Mayor Lauren McLean (D) of Boise, Idaho, who was picked as a co-vice chair. Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego (D) was named Climate Mayors’ chair.

In his three-plus years in office, Dickens has taken several steps to advance climate initiatives in Atlanta.

Dickens has tried to revive the city’s diminished Office of Sustainability and Resilience by making the division its own, stand-alone office and appointing a new Chief Sustainability Officer, Chandra Farley, to lead the effort. Dickens also relaunched a Clean Energy Advisory Board to make policy recommendations to the mayor’s office.

Under his watch, Dickens says Atlanta has also made “significant” progress reducing its heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions and increasing the share of its electricity that comes from renewables, like solar. Among the city’s goals are to slash overall emissions by 40% by 2030 and secure 100% of its electricity from clean energy sources.

The clean energy goal hinges in large part on the actions of Georgia Power — the state’s largest electric utility — which provides most of Atlanta’s electricity. In 2023, the most recent full year of data available, about 62% of Georgia Power’s energy came from coal, oil, or gas-fired power plants.

Some of the mayor’s other climate-related aims have not yet been achieved.

Atlanta is home to one of the most extensive urban tree canopies in the country, and several studies have found it plays a key role in keeping temperatures safe and protecting health. But as heat waves increase in frequency and intensity due to human activity, the city’s trademark canopy has been shrinking.

Mayor Dickens’ campaign website says he believes a new ordinance is needed to “safeguard our city’s greenery and ensure that we maintain our status as the ‘City in the Forest.’” The City Council approved some modest updates to Atlanta’s Tree Protection Ordinance in late 2022, but a full rewrite has not reached the finish line.

On Monday, Dickens said his climate priorities going forward include improving access to electric vehicle chargers, helping homes and businesses install solar panels and weatherizing the homes of low-income residents.

Dickens’ ascent to a leadership role in the consortium comes days before President-elect Donald Trump is set to return to the Oval Office.

While President Joe Biden’s administration made unprecedented investments in technologies considered key to fighting global warming, Trump has vowed to claw back incentives for EVs and could halt other federal climate spending.

That could give the actions of cities and mayors added import.

On Monday, Dickens and Gallego both said they are confident they can shrink their climate footprint, with or without White House support.

“I’ve heard from many stakeholders on the business, philanthropic and university side who want to work with cities and think we are the good news branch of government on climate change,” Gallego said. “So, I’m very optimistic we’ll continue to make progress.”

A note of disclosure

This coverage is supported by a partnership with Green South Foundation and Journalism Funding Partners. You can learn more and support our climate reporting by donating at ajc.com/donate/climate .