Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has signed a first-of-its-kind letter intended to promote climate cooperation and economic development between the city and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, and she is touting it Friday as a way to potentially strengthen business and create green jobs in Southern California.
“The signing of this Letter of Intent with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland signifies bold steps to advance Los Angeles’ green transition and carbon neutrality goals, and with the current climate crisis, we know we need to take bold action,” Bass said Thursday during a news conference at City Hall.
She added that the partnership will aid the city in efforts to find innovative ways to confront the climate crisis, and strengthen business, investment and green jobs in the LA region. This is a joint effort with partners across the city and county of Los Angeles.
“We are locking arms on every level, local, federal and now international, to address this crucial issue,” Bass said.
The agreement is the result of more than two years of collaboration on shared goals for carbon neutrality and clean energy transition, Bass’ office noted, with the aim of achieving 100% clean energy by 2035. The letter outlines four key areas for collaboration — smart and green ports; smart and sustainable mobility and transit; decarbonizing the build environment; and renewable energy and grid resiliency.
“This Letter of Intent lays the foundation for mutually beneficial cooperation between Finland and the city of Los Angeles, and is a concrete step towards achieving our carbon neutrality goals,” Finland Minister Ville Tavio said.
Tavio described Los Angeles as a forerunner in adopting “innovative solutions and investing in renewable energy solutions,” while Finland is known as a “pioneer of digital technology, smart mobility and clean energy solutions.”
He added, “We have a lot to offer to and learn from each other.”
“The needs of…
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