U.S. cities drive energy transition despite Trump resistance

• Local mandates, affordability concerns drive green projects
• Worried voters prod local officials to pursue climate action
• U.S. mayors to meet at COP30 climate summit in November

WASHINGTON - As President Donald Trump slows the federal government's support for clean energy, U.S. cities are pushing back with a few moves of their own.

Many cities are still boosting building efficiency, electrifying vehicles and neighbourhoods, training workers for new energy jobs and designing for the future, mayors say.

"Cities like Portland aren't waiting for federal permission to act on climate," Keith Wilson, mayor of Oregon's largest city, told Context.

Portland last year created the country's first zero-emission delivery zone - where shops and restaurants are supplied by electric vehicles and bikes - and aims to be the first U.S. city to end to petroleum diesel sales by 2030.

This year, the Trump administration has cancelled billions of dollars' worth of programmes and halted research.

The International Energy Agency's forecast for the United States for renewable energy growth between now and 2030 has been revised down by nearly 50%, according to a recent update.

Across the country, however, authorities say they hope to keep up climate momentum.

Many U.S. mayors are preparing to gather in Brazil next month for the global COP30 climate summit, which observers say will include a focus on the role of cities.

Voters are becoming increasingly concerned about the federal government's stance on clean energy, said Jack Hanson, executive director of Run on Climate, which supports candidates who focus on climate work.

He said the number of candidates who have applied for support this year has risen significantly.

"It's really all about making people realise clearly that the federal government is not going to solve this issue before us, at least for the next few years," he said.

'Cities are on the back foot'

The headwinds coming from the federal government, which include the cancellation of billions of dollars in grant funding, are a powerful force, experts warn.

"These federal actions haven't stopped local governments from acting on climate, but cities are on the back foot as they deal with the onslaught," said Amy E. Turner, director of the Cities Climate Law Initiative at Columbia Law School in New York.

Nevertheless, Turner said cities can make "meaningful progress" on climate, especially in decarbonising buildings, which overall are responsible for nearly a third of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

Boston in July became the first U.S. city to require that large new buildings have net zero carbon emissions in their operations from the day they open, said the city's chief climate officer, Brian Swett.

Buildings produce 71% of Boston’s carbon emissions, making the programme key to its goal of halving emissions by the end of the decade and cutting them entirely by 2050.

More than a dozen cities including New York, Washington, Denver and Seattle have also recently put in place emissions performance standards for existing buildings.

In California, communities are preparing to move entire neighbourhoods to clean energy by decommissioning gas lines and divert the related maintenance costs into green sources, said Beckie Menten, state director for the Building Decarbonization Coalition, a non-profit.

"This is one of the most exciting initiatives able to maintain their momentum despite what's happening at the federal level," she said.

Decisions on where to locate development to reduce commutes and the need for car travel can be climate opportunities as well.

Redmond, Washington is evolving "from a suburb to a city" and looking at density plans with light rail development, "creating more walkable and bikeable communities, making sure businesses are there,” said Mayor Angela Birney.

“It’s transformational thinking about how cities can work for people in the changing climate in the future and making them less reliant on a car-centric society," she said.

"We're really thinking differently about what cities can be.”

Concerns over residential electricity prices

Other options include cities purchasing or producing renewable energy as well as helping residents and businesses put solar panels on rooftops.

"Everyone is trying to find the energy transition solution," said Saharnaz Mirzazad, executive director of ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability USA, an association that is working with cities to promote private sector energy funding.

At the same time, local opposition to renewable energy development has risen, research indicates.

A database maintained by former journalist Robert Bryce shows more than 1,110 examples of local rejections to renewable energy projects, with a particularly striking rise in opposition to solar power since 2022.

Nonetheless, hundreds of cities have climate plans that mandate steep emissions reductions, motivated by concerns over residential electricity prices that have increased by 10% this year alone, said Steve Abbott, a principal with RMI, an energy-focused think tank.

Chicago's municipal operations are powered completely by renewable energy, while Charlotte, North Carolina and San Antonio, Texas have similar aims in coming years, he said.

To ensure workers are prepared, cities are stepping up skills training.

Cambridge, Massachusetts is starting to help low-income residents access green jobs training through scholarships, assistance with transportation and child care, said Quinton Zondervan, a former Cambridge city councillor who is now policy director at Run on Climate.

Heating and air conditioning technicians and electricians “are going to be in high demand for a long time to come," he said. "It's critical that communities invest in green jobs training as a form of resilience.

"Solar installation … is going through the roof," he said.

(Reporting by Carey L. Biron; Editing by Jack Graham and Ellen Wulfhorst.)