By the Journal of Commerce

Mayors from 17 states - from Florida to Hawaii - will gather in Girdwood Sept. 16-18 to address global climate change issues.

Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, who will participate in the workshops, said cities across the United States need to react quickly to address climate change.

"We need to take concrete steps now to make our communities more resilient to climate change, and we have a responsibility to put in place cost-saving, efficient strategies to reduce our emissions," Begich said in a news release Aug. 28.

Begich and Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels announced a joint effort at Anchorage June 29 to work together to slow effects of global warming, plus other initiatives, including expansion of environmental ties between their two cities.

Tom Cochran, executive director of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, said the Girdwood meeting will build on work already started by the mayors, providing assistance to keep them moving toward goals of reduced greenhouse gas emissions and stopping global warming.

Event sponsors include the Municipality of Anchorage, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, and the Alaska Conservation Foundation.

In 2004 alone, the 147 cities that made efforts to reduce emissions saved more than $600 million in energy costs, according to event sponsors.

The session will begin with a welcome dinner on Sept. 16, with workshops the occurring over the next two days.