Boston Was Only U.S. City To Earns Global Recognition for Cutting-Edge Climate Innovation at 2025 Bloomberg Philanthropies Local Leaders Climate Awards in Rio de Janeiro

Boston has been honored on the world stage, winning the Energy Transition and Smarter Buildings category at the 2025 Bloomberg Philanthropies Local Leaders Climate Awards in Rio de Janeiro. The city was the only U.S. recipient among global leaders recognized for bold, measurable action against climate change.

The award highlights Boston’s groundbreaking Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO) and Equitable Emissions Investment Fund — two initiatives redefining how major cities approach sustainability and equity in climate policy. Together, they’ve positioned Boston as a model for urban decarbonization.

A deep energy retrofit underway at the Eva White apartments in the South End

Large buildings account for nearly 40% of Boston’s total emissions, and BERDO directly targets that. It requires owners of large properties — 35,000 square feet or more — to track and limit their energy use, driving all covered buildings toward net-zero emissions by 2050.

Complementing this, the Equitable Emissions Investment Fund channels millions of dollars into local environmental justice projects, helping neighborhoods most affected by air pollution invest in clean, sustainable solutions. So far, community groups such as the Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation and the Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation have received support for decarbonization and solar energy projects.

A solar array on top of the Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation affordable housing, funded by the Equitable Emissions Fund

Boston’s recognition in the Energy Transition and Smarter Buildings category places the city alongside other global innovators focused on cutting carbon costs through clean energy and smart design.

The annual Bloomberg Philanthropies Local Leaders Climate Awards celebrate cities and regions making tangible progress in implementing the Paris Agreement through bold, people-centered climate solutions.

Boston’s latest accolade cements its reputation as a global climate leader — one where innovation, community action, and sustainability go hand in hand.