Phoenix Mayor’s Radical Climate Agenda: A Threat to Meat, Dairy, and Private Vehicles?

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Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego has been making headlines recently for her radical climate policies.

As a member of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, she is reportedly laying the groundwork to implement drastic changes in Phoenix that could potentially ban meat, dairy, and private vehicles by 2030.

The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group is a global network of mayors committed to addressing the climate crisis.

Their mission includes a Race to Zero campaign aiming for net-zero carbon emissions in 1,000 cities worldwide. They also advocate for sustainable food policies that promote plant-based diets, effectively sidelining carnivorous diets.

Mayor Gallego, who has been a member of C40 since 2020, now serves as Vice Chair of the C40 Steering Committee.

This position allows her to provide strategic oversight and ensure that the group’s mission aligns with the needs of C40 cities. However, this alignment has raised concerns among Phoenix citizens.

At a recent Phoenix City Council meeting, a group of grassroots citizens voiced their opposition to policies banning meat. Despite this public outcry, Mayor Gallego and the Council passed the 2025 Phoenix Food Action Plan on March 4, 2020.

This plan includes a policy for the Office of Environmental Programs at the City of Phoenix to establish an AgriFood Tech Incubator in 2023, aimed at accelerating ventures in sustainable food systems.

This isn’t the first time Phoenix has seen such policies. The city maintains multiple policies for sustainable food systems outlined in the 2020 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory report conducted by Arizona State University (ASU).

Mayor Gallego also teamed up with ASU for various environmental and sustainable projects.

ASU’s commitment to sustainability is evident in its degree programs. The Bachelor of Science degree in Sustainable Food Systems aims to create effective agents of change working towards the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Kathleen Merrigan, a leader in sustainable food systems and a partner in ag-tech innovation firms, leads the Online Master of Science in Sustainable Food Systems program.

However, these policies have not been without controversy. Critics argue that while Mayor Gallego may not be outright banning meat, her policies could make meat more expensive and lead to significant reductions in meat consumption in the future.

They also point out the mayor’s claim of reducing energy costs is misleading, as energy costs are set by Corporation Commissions with utility providers, not mayors.