Mayor Cantrell, sole U.S. representative, attending climate expo in S. Korea

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell traveled Tuesday (May 23) to Busan, South Korea, as the lone U.S. mayor attending the World Climate Industry Expo.

With an ambition to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, she is advocating for implementing innovative initiatives to combat the crisis.

The World Climate Industry Expo serves as a platform to showcase advancements in climate and energy fields, integrating the Energy Industry Exhibition, Carbon Neutral Exhibition, and International Environmental Energy Industry Exhibition (ENTECH).

Cantrell will participate in a panel titled “Rising Seas and Shifting Shores: The Conundrum of Coastal Living,” focusing on the impacts of coastal living and innovative solutions. Additionally, she joins a City Mayor’s Roundtable discussion on “Setting and Achieving Goals for Smart Cities to Achieve Carbon Neutrality,” sharing ideas with mayors and city representatives worldwide.

Cantrell will also attend a Business Leaders Roundtable, where she will hear from global business leaders and high-ranking government officials to discuss the role of corporations in achieving a sustainable future.

“This presents the perfect opportunity to showcase the climate and sustainability action plans New Orleans has championed on a global stage. As a low-lying coastal city, we are on the front lines of an already changing climate, and now, more than ever, we must take advantage of opportunities like these to see how other countries are approaching the same issue and share best practices,” Cantrell said in a statement.

Cantrell has faced scrutiny in the past for her travel upgrades at taxpayers’ expense and for her executive protection team’s schedules and pay surrounding her trips. In October of last year, after initially refusing to do so, Cantrell paid back nearly $29,000 in flight upgrades.

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