Healey, Wu, and state’s climate chief traveling to Rome, Vatican City

BOSTON — Gov. Maura Healey, state Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu will be traveling to Italy next week for a climate conference.

The delegation will be attending the Vatican Climate Summit: From Climate Crisis to Climate Resilience, which is taking play May 15 through 17.

Pope Francis will preside over the global conference, which will bring “researchers, policy makers and faith leaders together to understand the scientific and societal challenges of climate change and recommend solutions for resilient people and resilient ecosystems,” according to the The Pontifical Academy of Sciences website.

Healey, who will provide a keynote address at the opening session of the conference, will discuss “governing in the age of climate change” and Wu will talk about “governance, health and energy” at the Vatican Climate Summit, officials earlier said.

Healey said the trip will highlight Massachusetts’ climate and economy, particularly the emerging industry of climatetech. The goal of the trip is also to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties between Massachusetts and Italy, the governor said.

“I’m excited for this opportunity to showcase Massachusetts’ climate and economic leadership on the global stage, and to make the case for why businesses should consider starting and growing in our state,” Healey said in a statement. “Massachusetts deeply values our close relationship with Italy and the Vatican City State, and we see this trip as an excellent opportunity to strengthen ties and strategize on future opportunities for collaboration.”

Hoffer is Massachusetts’ first ever climate chief, according to the state’s website. She joined the Biden Administration as a Day 1 political appointee, serving as the Acting General Counsel and Principal Deputy General Counsel of the Environmental Protection Agency. Hoffer led the EPA’s Office of General Counsel through the transition until November 2021, and continued to serve as Principal Deputy General Counsel.

In a statement, Hoffer said that the trip “presents an incredible opportunity to learn from leaders from around the world how they are advancing emissions reduction, resilience, and support for communities facing intensifying climate impacts.”

“It is truly the honor of a lifetime to present at the Vatican Summit and I am eager to share our accomplishments and vision for Massachusetts and collaborate with other global leaders as we navigate the many challenges and opportunities presented in this unprecedented moment in human history,” Hoffer said.

The global summit is organized by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences under the leadership of UMass Boston Chancellor Suárez-Orozco and Ram Ramanathan, distinguished research professor at UC San Diego and climate solutions scholar at Cornell University.

On Tuesday, Healey will host a roundtable with the American Chamber of Commerce in Italy with Italian business leaders considering establishing, growing, or expanding their footprint in Massachusetts. Healey “will highlight all that makes Massachusetts a great place to do business, learn more about what the businesses are interested in and the challenges they face, and discuss opportunities for further collaboration,” her office said in a statement.

Healey will also participate in two panels during the conference. On Wednesday evening, she will co-chair the Energy Session with Professor Cheikh Mbow of Senegal. Healey will deliver opening remarks and introduce each panel, which includes: Access/Clean/Affordable Energy by Dan Esty of Yale University; Renewable Energy Transition by Arunaba Ghosho of the Council on Energy, Environment and Water; Resilient Grid by Vida Rozite of the International Energy Agency; and Clean Cooking by Ali Mohamed, Kenya’s Climate and Clean Cooking Envoy.

On Thursday, Healey, Chancellor Suárez-Orozco and Ram Ramanathan will participate in Highlights and the Way Forward, during which they will reflect on the sub-regional summits that took place during the course of the summit. The session will end with proposals from all mayors and governors on next steps.

Italy is currently Massachusetts’ 10th largest trading partner globally, according to Healey’s office. In 2023, total trade between Massachusetts and Italy was $2.05 billion. Italian companies, such as Enel North America and Piaggio Fast Forward, have operations in Massachusetts.

Hoffer, who will also speak at the summit, will visit the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research alongside UMass-Boston Professor Paul Kirshen on Tuesday. Later Tuesday afternoon, she will meet with Edoardo Zanchini, the director of the City of Rome’s Climate Office, and Environment, Science, Technology, and Health personnel from the U.S. Italian Embassy.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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