Can Mayors Really Save the World?

People elect a mayor to get the trash off of their sidewalks. Maybe prominent local leaders like New York’s Michael Bloomberg don’t don coveralls and hop on the 4 a.m. pick-up shift, but they’re responsible for making sure someone does — and they're held responsible if someone doesn't. When it comes to abstract global challenges like climate change, however, mayors usually just get a pat on the head and a seat on the bench.

But maybe not anymore.