New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, speaking at the opening of the of 2011 US Open
In the wake of the devastation Hurricane Sandy has caused, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has endorsed President Barack Obama for a second term as US president, citing the steps Obama has taken over the past four years in addressing climate change and sustainability.
In a tweet, Bloomberg gave his support for Obama yesterday in the run up to next Tuesday’s presidential election, while he also wrote in a Bloomberg View essay about the need for climate change leadership.
“Our climate is changing,” wrote Bloomberg. “And while the increase in extreme weather we have experienced in New York City and around the world may or may not be the result of it, the risk that it might be – given this week’s devastation – should compel all elected leaders to take immediate action.”
He said that New York City’s sustainability plan has helped the city cut its carbon footprint by 16pc in five years. Referring to the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, a network of the world’s largest cities, Bloomberg said that local governments are taking action where national governments are not.
He went on to cite the need for leadership.
“We need leadership from the White House – and over the past four years, President Barack Obama has taken major steps to reduce our carbon consumption, including setting higher fuel-efficiency standards for cars and trucks.”
Bloomberg also spoke about how Mitt Romney has tackled climate change in the past.
“As governor of Massachusetts, he signed on to a regional cap-and-trade plan designed to reduce carbon emissions 10pc below 1990 levels.”
However, Bloomberg said that Romney has “reversed course” since then, by “abandoning the very cap-and-trade program he once supported”.
He praised Romney for his business acumen, but then issued a swipe at the Republican candidate:
“I believe Mitt Romney is a good and decent man, and he would bring valuable business experience to the Oval Office. He understands that America was built on the promise of equal opportunity, not equal results. In the past he has also taken sensible positions on immigration, illegal guns, abortion rights and health care. But he has reversed course on all of them, and is even running against the health-care model he signed into law in Massachusetts.”
Michael Bloomberg image via Shutterstock
