Clima-Med announces the nomination of Mr Georges Youssef, mayor of one of its beneficiary municipalities in Lebanon, as a member of the GCoM Board of Mayors and Leaders.

Mr Youssef will serve as an ambassador for urban climate action at the local, national, and global levels. As a local climate leader, he will represent his region globally, empowering cities to collaborate with national governments to help meet and exceed their highest ambitions under the Paris Agreement and push aggressive climate targets throughout the Middle East and North Africa. 

“We are at a pivotal moment for city-level climate action,” said Mayor Georges Youssef of Menjez, Lebanon. “I am honoured to have an opportunity to support mayors from around the region in advancing their climate and sustainability priorities. I look forward to elevating local climate action here in the Middle East and serving as a model for cities around the world at this critical moment in history.”

In an effort to build a more climate-resilient city, Georges Youssef has engaged Menjez municipality as a signatory in the Covenant of Mayors for the Mediterranean, CoM Med, since 2014. Through CoM Med, the municipality completed its Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP) and is now developing its Sustainable Energy Access and Climate Action Plan (SEACAP) to outline targets and actions for 2030.

Mayor Youssef of Menjez has always been considered a champion for urban sustainability and climate solutions in the region. As a mayor, he has relentlessly tried to identify the climate change adaptation responses that best meet the municipality’s needs. Furthermore, he has secured funding from various donors for a multitude of projects that were implemented to help build resilience and green the city of Menjez.