will attend a conference on slavery and climate change at the Vatican later this month.
Pope Francis has stressed the importance of those two issues since he was elected in 2013. In his recent encyclical on the environment, Francis argued that climate change is a cause of poverty and forced migration. Those are "breeding grounds" for human trafficking and forced labor, the Vatican says.
Appelbaum will be joined at the summit by mayors from Portland, Seattle and Minneapolis, among other cities. The Vatican says the contributions of local governments are crucial its efforts.
"I think we're punching above our weight, but that's true in general on issues of sustainability and resilience. We really are recognized globally as a city that has stepped out and done some remarkable things in this arena," Appelbaum told the Daily Camera.
The trip will cost Boulder $3,000 to $4,000, the paper reported.
