Atlanta and Savannah are two of 25 cities selected for the Bloomberg American Sustainable Cities initiative. 

The three-year, $200 million initiative launched this month and aims to “turbocharge 25 U.S. cities’ efforts to leverage historic levels of federal funding to proactively build low-carbon, resilient, and economically thriving communities” according to the program’s website. 

With the selection, the cities will receive funded support from experts in a number of areas to aid the cities in their sustainable development.

Mayor of Atlanta Andre Dickens expressed his gratitude and excitement for the support.

“Like many of our efforts, reaching our sustainability and equity goals is a group project, and we look forward to participating in Bloomberg’s American Sustainable Cities Challenge,” Dickens said in a press release. “This is an opportunity for us to collaborate with cities facing similar challenges, share best practices, and tap into resources to fight climate change and enhance the quality of life for all Atlantans.”

In that same press release, City of Atlanta Chief Sustainability Officer Chandra Farley said the initiative presents another opportunity to give more equity to historically excluded groups in the energy sector.

“If the clean energy transition is to be truly just for all, we must view our climate actions as an opportunity to address racial wealth inequality,” Farley said. “For Atlanta, the cradle of the civil rights movement, we are well positioned to lead the way.”

This isn’t the first time Bloomberg Philanthropies has selected Atlanta as a top U.S. city to invest in for a sustainable future. In 2018, the American Cities Climate Challenge selected Atlanta as one of 25 U.S. cities to receive resources and support to accelerate climate action, particularly in the clean buildings and transportation sectors.

Of note, the vast majority of the cities selected for this initiative are in…