Riverside Earns National Recognition for Climate Solutions

Published: 10/09/2026

Riverside Earns National Recognition for Climate Solutions

Climate Mayors highlight the City's Eastside investments in tree planting, solar installations, and GIS technology to reduce heat and support vulnerable communities

Riverside, CA - City of Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson, in partnership with the Transformative Climate Communities and GIS Tree Plotter Project, were recently recognized during New York Climate Week by Climate Mayors as part of their national "Stories of Impact" challenge in the Nature Based Solutions category. This competition advances Climate Mayors' mission to help local leaders communicate effectively in today's digital landscape, showcasing how cities nationwide are implementing practical climate solutions that cut costs, strengthen communities, and improve quality of life.

"This recognition is a testament to what's possible when climate action starts at the local level," stated Mayor Lock Dawson. "In Riverside, we've brought strong community partnerships and innovative technology to transform our most vulnerable communities and provide tools such as our Tree Plotter that benefits every neighborhood in the city. Thank you to Climate Mayors for recognizing Riverside's work and highlighting what's possible when we invest in our neighborhoods."

Riverside is helping families stay cooler and lower their energy bills while preparing for a changing climate. Through California's Transformative Climate Communities Program, the City secured a $31.2 million grant to support the transformation of the Eastside neighborhood.

Together with TreePeople, Eastside residents have planted more than 1,000 trees throughout the community. This same investment is enabling GRID Alternatives Inland Empire to install rooftop solar on 100 low-income homes, helping families lower energy costs while reducing emissions.

They are also investing over $1 million in federal funding to map Riverside's urban forest using GIS. This technology will allow us to identify our hottest neighborhoods, or urban heat islands, so trees can be strategically planted where they'll have the greatest impact to maximize cooling, reduce energy costs, and improve public health for residents who need it most.

Founded in 2014, Climate Mayors is the nation's largest coalition of city leaders committed to climate action, representing over 350 mayors across 47 states and more than 70 million Americans. Created by the former mayors of Los Angeles, Houston, and Philadelphia, the coalition unites cities of all sizes to advance practical, affordable, and resilient climate solutions. Over the past decade, member cities have consistently led on climate policy, accounting for nearly half of all local climate actions during the first Trump administration. Go to ClimateMayors.org to learn more.

To learn more about Riverside's sustainability efforts, visit the Office of Sustainability at RiversideCA.gov/Sustainability. To watch Mayor Lock Dawson's video remarks, go to Transformative Climate Communities AND GIS Tree Plotter (Riverside, CA).