News

Mayor Kenney leaves “climate change” out of his Budget Address

The Mayor’s 6th budget address makes no mention of climate or environment. Councilmember Gilmore Richardson calls him out.

Today, Mayor Kenney delivered his sixth budget address to City Council. However, there was not a single mention of climate change, the environment or clean streets.

Kenney did announce a $1 million investment to improve air quality and mentioned pollution, without the greater issue of the climate crisis. The city cut the Zero Waste and Litter cabinet in May 2020 due to pandemic reductions.

Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson, Chair of City Council’s Committee of the Environment, called out Kenney for this absence. “While the Mayor has made significant commitments to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, achieving zero waste, and protecting our natural resources, we must integrate this work into all City operations and understand how our decisions today will impact our resiliency tomorrow,” said Gilmore Richardson in a statement.

Leaving climate change out of an important address can have negative impacts. Climate experts like Katharine Hayhoe have said that talking about climate change is the most important thing to do, so people feel invested to take action on the problem.

As Hayhoe said, “if we do not have these conversations, how do we expect the world to change?”

If the entire city of Philadelphia can rally against an oat milk company in a few hours, there’s potential to make a way larger impact on something as urgent as the climate crisis.


Julie Hancher

Julie Hancher is Editor-in-Chief of Green Philly, sharing her expertise of all things sustainable in the city of brotherly love. She enjoys long walks in the park with local beer and greening her travels, cooking & cat, Sir Floofus Drake.

Recent Posts

Moving Fast and Breaking Climate goals: What Pennsylvania’s Data Center boom means for local communities

$90 billion in investments could reshape the energy landscape, but community voices and renewable alternatives…

6 days ago

Trash competition, government shutdown, November elections, & more

Catch up on the latest sustainability news:  Block by Block launches citywide cleanup competition with…

7 days ago

From coal to solar affordability: PA’s next energy chapter shaped by HB 504

Farmers and city residents alike stand to benefit from local, homegrown power, says Land &…

1 week ago

Celebrating Solar at “Sun Day,” trash burning ban proposed & more

Catch up on the latest sustainability news:  Philly mobilizes for Sun Day solar energy celebration.…

2 weeks ago

You can be exposed to PFAS through food, water, even swimming in lakes – new maps show how risk from ‘forever chemicals’ varies

Drinking water isn’t the only way people are exposed to PFAS today. This article is…

2 weeks ago

Building connections: How Ash Richards uses land care as cultural preservation

The city’s Director of Urban Agriculture talks about the impact of history, gardening as collective…

2 weeks ago