Boston Named Winner of the 2025 Bloomberg Philanthropies Local Leaders Climate Award at COP30 Leaders Forum

Boston was distinguished as the winner of Energy Transition and Smarter Buildings category of the 2025 Bloomberg Philanthropies Local Leaders Climate Awards at the Local Leaders Forum in Rio de Janeiro

BOSTON (November 5, 2025) – Yesterday evening, Bloomberg Philanthropies and the COP30 Presidency announced Boston as a winner of the 2025 Bloomberg Philanthropies Local Leaders Climate Award in the Energy Transition and Smarter Buildings category at the COP30 Local Leaders Forum in Rio de Janeiro. The global Awards recognize the best policies, projects, or programs led by local leaders that have effectively addressed climate change over the past three years. Through the leadership of Mayor Michelle Wu, Boston was selected for its Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO) and Equitable Emissions Investment Fund. Boston was the only winner from the United States.

“Around the globe and here in Boston, the threat of climate change is clear and accelerating. With the implementation of our BERDO ordinance and Equitable Emissions Investment Fund, we are working to make Boston as resilient as possible,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “This recognition is proof that community-based solutions work. By addressing the issue from a local level, we are able to build a greener and healthier city for everyone, leading the way on climate action for cities. As we navigate the constantly evolving climate crisis, we will continue to scale up our decarbonization efforts through coordination across our City departments and with our community partners.”

BERDO is a local law in Boston that aims to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions generated by large buildings, which account for approximately 40% of the city’s emissions. Building owners subject to BERDO are required to report their buildings’ annual energy and water consumption. Starting in 2025, buildings with 35 or more residential units or 35,000 square feet or larger also need to comply with specific building emissions limits based on use. These emissions standards decrease over time, with all buildings required to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

With the passage of BERDO, the Equitable Emissions Investment Fund was also established to support Boston' s carbon neutrality goals as well as support Environmental Justice populations and communities disproportionately impacted by air pollution. Applications are accepted annually, with award decisions made by the BERDO Review Board. Initially seeded with $3.5 million from the City, the Fund will continue to receive funding through BERDO Alternative Compliance Payments. Past projects include decarbonization projects by Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation, Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation, and Fenway Community Development Corporation, totaling  $750,250.  

“With the 5% of buildings in Boston regulated by BERDO accounting for roughly 40% of the City’s emissions, this ordinance and program is absolutely critical to Boston’s journey to net zero emissions,” said Brian Swett, Chief Climate Officer. “When combined with our Equitable Emissions Investment Fund, we are able to financially support decarbonization in climate justice communities most in need of such investments.”

“It is an honor to be in Rio de Janeiro to accept this award on behalf of the City of Boston,” said Hannah Payne, Director of Carbon Neutrality. “Our work to support building owners cutting their fossil fuel use is having a direct impact on the public health of Boston’s residents. Just as we hope other cities will learn from BERDO, Boston will continue to learn from the best practices of other municipal climate leaders from across the world.”

This year’s six award categories celebrate climate leadership in:

• Energy Transition and Smarter Buildings: Cutting costs and carbon with clean power and efficient design
• Clean, Reliable Transportation: Moving people and goods on dependable, low-emission networks
• Safer Infrastructure for a Changing World: Guarding communities with resilient, climate-ready systems
• Healthy Cities, Strong Communities: Elevating air quality, green space, and everyday well-being
• Sustainable Waste Solutions: Slashing waste, creating jobs, and keeping pollution out of landfills
• Power of Partnership: Cities and regions uniting to deliver national-level climate results

Now in its ninth edition, the 2025 Bloomberg Philanthropies Local Leaders Climate Awards (formerly the C40 Cities Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards) were presented at the COP30 Local Leaders Forum—an international gathering focused on advancing bold, people-centered climate solutions. The Awards celebrate measurable impact, scalable solutions, and the vital role of cities and regions in accelerating  implementation of the Paris Agreement.

For more information on the winning projects, visit the 2025 Local Leaders Climate Awards homepage.