In September 2010, ten mayors from large and small communities across BC came together to volunteer to assist other locally elected officials move climate action forward. This includes volunteering to mentor locally elected officials. The mayors and councilors do this because they are passionate about climate action and because they agree that:

• Climate change is happening now; is largely the result of human activity, particularly the combustion of fossil fuels; and is an urgent issue to address
• The importance of climate action transcends politics
• Local government leadership on climate action is critical
• Local governments can have a significant impact on energy and emissions in their own operations and across our communities
• Addressing climate change will require transitioning to low-carbon energy systems integrated across our communities
• Climate action is a relatively new area for many locally elected officials in BC
• Given the importance and scale of the challenge, it is important for locally elected officials who have some experience in climate action to support other mayors, councilors and regional directors who are interested in moving climate action forward in their community.

BCMCLC is facilitated by the Community Energy Association who provides staff support.