Mayor Eric Garcetti recently joined mayors from around the world in committing to new sustainability goals that will make cities greener, healthier and more prosperous.

By signing the C40 Fossil-Fuel-Free Streets Declaration, the mayors pledged to purchase only zero-emission buses in their cities by 2025. They also committed to eliminating emissions in designated areas of their cities by 2030. The policies are part of an effort to fight air pollution, improve the quality of life and help address climate change.

“Los Angeles is already leading the way with our landmark program to build the largest municipal electric vehicle fleet in America,” Garcetti said. “This pledge expands that effort and affirms our commitment to building cleaner, healthier communities across our city.”

The policies build on Los Angeles’ recent efforts to implement zero emissions technology, including Metro’s goal of having a 100 percent zero-emission bus fleet by 2030, and launching the first EV car share program for disadvantaged communities.

Under Garcetti’s leadership, Los Angeles launched an electric vehicle procurement effort known as the EV RFI to spur market innovation and growth around the country. The city is also working with truck manufacturers and the Port of Los Angeles to achieve zero emissions by 2035.

Electric vehicles are not the only strategy the city is using to go fossil fuel free. Last November, voters overwhelmingly passed Measure M, which will provide $120 billion in funding over the next 40 years to accelerate current rail projects, add new rail lines and complete a comprehensive transit system. In July, Metro endorsed a goal of moving to a 100 percent zero-emissions bus fleet by 2030. It is the most ambitious timeline of any big city in America.

The declaration was signed by the mayors of 12 cities during the annual steering committee meeting of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group – an international network of large cities committed to taking action against climate change and working locally to achieve the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. Garcetti is C40 vice-chair and serves as one of 12 members of the organization’s steering committee. In addition to Garcetti, the initial group of signatories to the declaration includes the mayors of London, Paris, Copenhagen, Barcelona, Quito, Vancouver, Mexico City, Milan, Seattle, Auckland and Cape Town.

Garcetti also signed a memorandum of understanding on Olympic cooperation with Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris and chair of C40. Paris will host the 2024 and Los Angeles the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The two cities will build on their already close ties to cooperate and share best practices on sustainability, inclusiveness and innovation.

“Mayor Hidalgo and I are united in our belief that the Olympic Games are defined by inspiration and transformation,” Garcetti said. “Our games are an opportunity to work together and to demonstrate that by addressing our global challenges at the local level, we can find sustainable solutions that create jobs, improve public health, and grow our economies.”