Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy traveled to China earlier this month to take part in a summit on climate change. She was one of 20 U.S. Mayors who were invited by the State Department.
Piercy says she was honored to take part in the summit, which included 40 Chinese mayors.
She says she was briefed before the summit began…
Piercy: “Secretary of State Kerry talked to us and made it really clear that this relationship we’re building with China over climate issues is the most positive relationship we have with that nation. It’s not only important because we’re the largest carbon emitters on this planet but it’s also that there are many things we don’t agree with, or we have a different form of government. This is something that we agree on.”
Piercy says she found support of the idea that it’s up to local mayors to take leadership on climate change.
She says Beijing is huge. Millions and millions of people compared to Eugene’s 160-thousand.
Piercy: “When I was in Beijing, I guess the thing that struck me the most was that you never see the sky. You never see the sky. There are days that are clear and days that are hazier. But in terms of looking out and seeing the sky, I didn’t and I don’t think it happens very often.”
Piercy says she could feel the poor air quality. When she got back to Eugene, she took a deep breath. Piercy learned that China has reduced pollution in every major city. They’ve cut carbon emissions by 30 percent.
Piercy: “Just the scale is so incredible. So when they make a decision with a different form of government that okay, now nobody’s going to use fossil fuels for their bikes anymore, you’re going to be using electric bikes or pedal, that’s the way it is.”
Piercy says the Chinese mayors were interested in Eugene’s innovation and public involvement. In China, the mayors are appointed, not elected. Decisions are not collaborative.
Piercy: “What I learned, in spite of the different form of government, everything that’s different between China and the United States, they want their people to be healthy. They want their people to do well too so there is that conversation that we share. They know that that level of pollution and the people that live there know that that level of pollution is not good for human beings or anything else on the planet.”
Piercy talked with summit participants about Eugene’s economic development and sustainable business practices. She says it felt like important work they were doing.
Piercy: “I think just us being there, China hosting us coming there, us listening to each other those are all steps in the right direction. I think you still have a sense of each other, that here are real human beings in different parts of the world, struggling with the same kinds of things and wanting our planet to heal and wanting to be part of doing that.”
Piercy and her husband did a little sightseeing. She describes going to the Great Wall of China, which she remembers seeing pictures of as a child.
Piercy: “And it felt just like that. It felt like a step out of thousands of years. I mean, it was just an amazing, amazing thing. So I feel very privileged to have had that experience.”
Piercy also felt proud that Eugene has been recognized by the U.S. State Department for its work around climate change. The city last year passed a climate recovery ordinance that calls for carbon neutral city operations by 2020 and a 50 percent reduction in fossil fuels by 2030. The trip was paid for by a foundation through the state department. No city money was used for the Mayor to travel to China.
