Cross-Country, Electric Vehicle Road Trip to Link Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco with UN General Assembly in New York

Prize Money Awarded to Local Innovators Rewriting Country’s Energy Future

Participants include UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Climate Action Michael R. Bloomberg, California Governor Jerry Brown, Boulder Mayor Suzanne Jones, St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson and Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – “The New American Road Trip” – an electric-vehicle tour across America, announced today, will journey from California to New York over 10 days in September to highlight the stories of the people, cities and emerging technologies that are fulfilling America’s Pledge on climate change, creating jobs and economic prosperity while reducing climate pollution and ensuring our country’s clean energy future.

The tour begins on September 14 at the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco, where summit co-chairs California Governor Jerry Brown, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Climate Action Michael R. Bloomberg, Mahindra Group CEO Anand Mahindra, UN Secretary-General’s Youth Special Envoy Jayathma Wickramanayake and UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa will present a call to action signed by city and state officials, and business leaders declaring their commitment to climate action and encouraging more ambitious steps from national and international leaders. The tour will conclude in New York during the UN General Assembly on September 26th, where the document will be delivered to the One Planet Summit, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Along the 2,906-mile journey, “The New American Road Trip” will hold marquee public events in Las Vegas, Boulder, St. Louis and Pittsburgh, and award a total of $40,000 to local innovators who are addressing climate change in their communities. These events are free and open to public. Sign up here.

Comedians, celebrities, mayors, governors, and many others will hitch a ride and offer a glimpse into how local leaders across the United States are making substantial progress to achieve the climate goals under the Paris Agreement, despite inaction from the federal government. Celebrities and comedians participating in the road trip include actor, singer and activist Aidan Gallagher; actors Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Oscar Nunez; actress and Grammy- nominated singer Antonique Smith; and Comedian Jo Firestone.

“The cross-country road trip is a great American tradition and a chance to see some of the nation’s most impressive sights,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Climate Action, who will join the tour in San Francisco and Las Vegas. “Today that includes the work Americans are doing in both red and blue states to reduce carbon emissions in ways that strengthen the economy, create jobs, and protect public health. This trip is a way to highlight and support their efforts.”

The clean energy workers at solar, wind plants and those working to build electric cars and buses are some the unsung heroes on the frontlines reducing climate pollution in their local communities. This tour seeks to highlight these Americans along with innovators, job creators, community activists and political and business leaders driving America’s clean energy future.

Women have had a tremendous impact on America’s climate solutions, noted Boulder Mayor Suzanne Jones. “My fellow female mayors and women leaders across the country have been integral to driving clean energy and climate policies, and promoting innovation and technology that is creating green jobs, economic growth and a more sustainable future here in Boulder and nationally.”

This tour and our local innovator awards were made possible through a partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies, The Hewlett Foundation, The JPB Foundation, The IKEA Foundation and ClimateWorks Foundation which all came together to help show the world Americans are ‘still in’ when it comes to stopping climate change.

The public events along the tour route include:

9/14, San Francisco, CA

  • California Governor Jerry Brown
  • Aidan Gallagher, actor, singer and activist
  • Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, actor

9/16, Las Vegas, NV

  • Michael Bloomberg, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Climate Action
  • Antonique Smith, actress and Grammy-nominated singer

9/19, Boulder, CO

  • Mayor Suzanne Jones
  • Jo Firestone, actress, comedian, and television writer

9/21, St. Louis, MO

  • Mayor Lyda Krewson

9/24, Pittsburgh, PA

  • Mayor Bill Peduto

9/26, New York, NY

  • French President Emmanuel Macron
  • California Governor Jerry Brown


For Immediate Release: September 5, 2018

Contact: Charlie DiPasquale | 240.481.6632 | cdipasquale@skdknick.com