Boston Will Host U.S.-China Climate Summit In 2017

Boston has been picked to host a big climate summit next year.

Secretary of State John Kerry made the announcement Tuesday in Beijing, where this year's U.S.-China Leaders Summit is currently being held.

"Boston is a coastal city that understands the threat of rising sea levels and extreme weather and that has already taken ambitious steps in order to reduce emissions and mitigate the harmful effects of climate change," Kerry, a former U.S. senator from Massachusetts, said.

At the event in Beijing, leaders from 20 U.S. cities, including Boston, and 40 Chinese metropolises have shared best practices in an effort to cooperate locally to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, who is a featured speaker at the conference, said he is looking forward to Boston taking the world stage as host of next year's summit.

"Boston is on the world stage again, and it's great to see that," Walsh said. "I think every time we can promote the great things in the city and making such a big impact on climate and the world is always a good thing."

According to the mayor's office, the summit will bring thousands of leaders from around the world to Boston.

After this year's summit in Beijing, the mayor is scheduled to tour Tiananmen Square before heading back to Boston on Wednesday.

Correction: An earlier version of this story misidentified the climate summit, calling it the World Cities Climate Summit. We regret the error.