Former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg named UN climate envoy

Former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg was appointed Friday to be the U.N. special envoy for cities and climate change, a position that will give the billionaire businessman and philanthropist an international stage to press for action to combat global warming.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon chose Bloomberg, who made combating climate change a major focus of his 12 years as mayor and was very outspoken on how cities should be run to cope with ever increasing populations without harming the environment.

U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said Bloomberg will assist the U.N. chief in his consultations with mayors and other key parties “to raise political will and mobilise action among cities as part of his longer-term strategy to advance efforts on climate change.”

The secretary-general also wants Bloomberg to bring “concrete solutions” to the climate summit he is hosting in New York on Sept. 23 to try to galvanise action to combat climate change, Haq said.

Bloomberg, 71, tweeted that he was “honored” by the appointment.

“Cities are taking measurable action to reduce emissions, emerging as leaders in the battle against climate change,” he tweeted. “I look forward to working with cities around the world and the UN to accelerate progress” to combat global warming.