Mayor Smith Joseph applauds the historic climate change agreement reached by 195 countries represented at the COP21 Climate Change Summit held in Paris, France on December 12, 2015. The agreement symbolizes a collective commitment to combat climate change and pursue actions towards lowering greenhouse gas emissions in an effort to build a resilient sustainable future.   

Recently, Mayor Smith Joseph joined the Compact of Mayors, a global coalition of City leaders dedicated to reducing their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. By participating in the Compact of Mayors, Mayor Smith Joseph will reinforce his commitment to climate action by working with City staff, businesses and residents to monitor local greenhouse gas emissions, assess its current effects of climate change in the City, create an action plan including clear and ambitious reduction targets, and formulate adaptation strategies to help safeguard the City’s future. 

“By committing to the Compact of Mayors, we are continuing in our work to make North Miami a sustainable destination where people recognize the value in protecting and preserving today’s resources for the benefit of future genera to live and where businesses want to invest. The actions we take at a local level will have a global impact; and by improving our City, we will be helping create a better world for today’s citizens and generations to come.” – Mayor Smith Joseph D.O., Pharm.D.  

As one of the key initiatives launched at the UN Climate Summit in September of 2014 by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change, Michael R. Bloomberg, the Compact of Mayors is the world’s largest collective effort to date by cities to tackle climate change, proactively prepare for its impacts, and regularly track and report progress. The Compact was activated under the leadership of the global city networks—C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40), ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) and the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG)—and with support from UN-Habitat, the UN’s lead agency on urban issues.   

"The Compact of Mayors reflects the commitment that cities are making to reduce carbon emissions and the crucial role they play in confronting climate change," said Bloomberg. "The more cities that take part in the Compact, the bigger impact it will have. I applaud all of the mayors who have joined, and look forward to welcoming more cities into our growing coalition."   

Recent research shows that if every local government  in the world took action in accordance with the Compact of Mayors—particularly by targeting their building energy, transportation, and waste sectors—they could reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of cutting the world’s annual coal use by more than half.   

Visit http://www.northmiamifl.gov/departments/cpd/sustainability.aspx to learn more about the city of North Miami’s sustainability efforts and www.compactofmayors.org to learn more about the Compact of Mayors.   

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The Compact of Mayors is a global coalition of mayors and city officials pledging to reduce local greenhouse gas emissions, enhance resilience to climate change, and to track their progress transparently. The Compact was launched in September of 2014 by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change, Michael R. Bloomberg. The Compact was activated under the leadership of the global city networks—C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40), ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) and the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG)—and with support from UN-Habitat, the UN’s lead agency on urban issues. In the lead-up to the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris, the unity and ambition among cities through the Compact of Mayors will inspire world leaders to follow suit and forge a global climate deal in Paris.  

North Miami, Florida (pop. 60,000+) is a diverse community, located midway between Miami and Fort Lauderdale.  As the sixth largest city of Miami-Dade County, North Miami is committed to growth in its business community, while also focusing on issues such as education, the arts, leisure activities, and sustainability to provide a viable future for its residents and to preserve the city’s rich history since incorporating in 1926.