Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek was elected vice president of the World Energy Cities Partnership (WECP) while in Norway on what her office called a “trade mission.” Gondek’s new responsibility on the “international stage” comes as Calgary enters another round of Stage Four water restrictions. WECP announced Gondek as VP on Saturday at the organization’s annual general meeting (AGM) with Calgary Economic Development, effective immediately. .Adam Toy, Gondek’s communications advisor, defended Gondek’s trip to Norway as a pursuit of international trade. “Far be it for a mayor to go on a trade mission to promote a city’s industry on an international stage,” wrote Toy on Twitter (“X”) in response to Calgary City Councillor Dan McLean raising questions about her involvement with the global organization. .Gondek, who replaced Fahad M. Aljubair, the mayor of Dammam, Saudi Arabia, joins WECP President Jesper Frost Rasmussen, mayor of Esbjerg, Denmark on the board, according to the WECP website. Other Canadian cities to sign onto the global energy cities initiative are Halifax and St. John’s. The organization is based out of Houston, TX, and other representatives include Stavanger, Norway; Barranquilla, Colombia; Dobe, Japan; Dongying, China; Aberdeen, UK, and Perth, Australia. .The WECP, citing the member cities’ “shared economic focus,” on its website said the organization has a “responsibility for cleaner energy and good governance.”“The WECP is committed to a future of greener, safer energy, while meeting world energy needs,” the website states. Member cities in 2009 signed the Calgary Climate Change Accord, a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.The website boasts mayors of its member cities to be “leading voices on the most pressing challenges facing the urban landscape today, including sustainable economic development, climate action, and building more resilient cities.”Calgary and its other member cities are “uniquely positioned to serve as laboratories of innovation, collaborating with industry and academic partners to accelerate technology advancement and provide a fertile environment for new initiatives,” says WECP. “It is such a pleasure to be in Stavanger, Norway, attending the World Energy Cities Partnership (WECP) AGM with Calgary Economic Development,” wrote Gondek on Instagram. “As I engage with leaders from other energy-focused cities, my focus is on how Calgary, as Canada’s energy capital, can collaborate with industry to drive the development of diverse energy sources, and strengthen international relationships.”“This meeting is a crucial opportunity to highlight Calgary’s innovative transformation efforts in all industries — particularly energy. I also look forward to meeting with global companies to explore how Calgary can play a pivotal role in their future energy strategies and bringing that knowledge back with me to share with all our industry partners.
