Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte among Forbes' first-ever sustainability leaders list
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte was among the 50 individuals recognized as sustainability leaders by Forbes Magazine.
In its first-ever sustainability list, Forbes noted that after Belmonte took office in 2019, Quezon City became the first city in the Philippines to declare a climate emergency.
"That move allowed Belmonte to allocate 13% of the city’s budget (which has since increased) to climate initiatives to reach its stated goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030 and reaching net-zero by 2050," it said.
The magazine also highlighted some of the mayor's green initiatives like doubling the city’s bike path network to 217 miles (314 kilometers), electrifying its free bus service, adding solar panels to public buildings, banning plastic bags and single-use utensils, introducing a “trash-to-cashback” program, and creating refilling stations for liquid detergent and other common household products.
Forbes said it's spotlighting the entrepreneurs, scientists, philanthropists, investors, politicians, and activists leading global efforts to combat the climate crisis.
"Decades of research confirm Earth’s climate is warming. CO2 levels are unprecedented, catastrophic weather events are becoming more frequent and severe, and human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, are the primary driver of the warming observed in the past century," it said.
"The stakes are high, and the scientific consensus is clear: Without fast and significant action to address climate change, it will get worse—more extreme weather, food and water insecurity, mass displacement and public health crises."
The sustainability leaders list was vetted by a panel of distinguished climate experts.
Quezon City is the largest city in Metro Manila. With an area of 16,112.58 hectares, it makes up nearly a quarter of the capital.
It has a population of at least 2.9 million residents.
The entire sustainability list can be accessed through this link.