Anna Reynolds to speak at climate change summit in Egypt

Re-elected Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds will promote Hobart on the world stage this month when she speaks at a climate change summit in Egypt.

Re-elected Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds will promote Hobart on the world stage this month when she speaks at a climate change summit in Egypt.

Ms Reynolds and the new council – including five new faces - will be sworn in and hold their first meeting on Monday night.

Ms Reynolds said she had been asked by a global mayors’ organisation to attend the United Nations climate change summit in Sharm El-Sheik starting on November 13.

There will be no cost to ratepayers for the trip with the full cost being sponsored by the climate organisation.

Mayor of Hobart, Anna Reynolds. Picture: Linda Higginson

Deputy Lord Mayor Helen Burnet will act as lord mayor during her absence.

The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy represents more than 12,000 cities around the world taking action on climate change.

Its long term aim is to combat climate change and work towards a “low emission and climate resilient future”.

Ms Reynolds was invited to join the organisation’s board in 2019 which includes mayors from Canada, Germany, Poland, Sri Lanka and the Philippines.

It is co-chaired by European Commission executive vice president for the European Green Deal Frans Timmermans and the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Climate Ambition and Solutions and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Mayor of Hobart, Anna Reynolds Picture: Linda Higginson

Ms Reynolds said as Tasmania and Australia grappled with rising energy costs and extreme weather events she would be looking for solutions.

“I want to bring home ideas for projects to reduce energy costs and emissions and build our resilience to extreme weather events like bushfires and flood,” she said.

“I’ll also be telling everyone I meet that Hobart is one of the world’s best small cities and the capital of a state on track to become 200% renewable.

“These attributes make Hobart an increasingly attractive place to invest.”

“This is a great opportunity for Hobart to be profiled as a clean, sustainable and future thinking city at this international summit.”

Ms Reynolds will speak at the summit at eight different panel sessions on topics including how cities are managing the impact of climate change through energy, buildings, transport and adaptation.

She says she’ll also meet with Australian decision-makers, industries and officials about opportunities for local governments to gain funding for local projects to prepare for climate change.

Originally published as Anna Reynolds to speak at climate change summit in Egypt