The priorities of local elected officials have evolved from filling potholes and trash collection to addressing racial and economic inequality, exacerbated by the climate crisis. What are the leadership and investment ecosystem elements required for a city leader to succeed in the 21st century? This panel of experts discuss the roles of public-private partnerships, federal investment, philanthropy, and municipal debt to address climate risk and inequality.

Moderator:
Angie Fyfe, Executive Director, ICLEI USA

Opening Remarks:
Dan Stiles, Attorney and Board Director ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability USA; Addressing climate change and resilience in local communities via financial resources and flexibility of the proposed Clean Energy & Sustainability Accelerator

Panelists:
Dr. Luis Aguirre-Torres, Director of Sustainability, City of Ithaca NY
Combining public- and private-sector international experience, he is working with private investors to secure multi-million dollar funding, on behalf of the City of Ithaca, to retrofit and electrify 1,000 buildings, bring 1,000 electric vehicles to the city and create 1,000 jobs; all within 1,000 days.

Steven Rothstein, Managing Director, Ceres Accelerator
Ceres developed steps that U.S. financial regulators, including those focused on municipal debt, should take now to address climate change consistent with their mandates and seize the vast opportunity of a sweeping economic transformation that can stabilize our climate while reducing long-standing social and economic inequalities.

Jacqueline Burton, grants officer Just Cities and Regions, the Ford Foundation
Developed and managed the foundation’s first cross-program, place-based grant-making strategies in New Orleans and New York, where she and colleagues work to support civic engagement, affordable housing, and economic opportunity