By Jill Colvin
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — With the election over, Mayor Michael Bloomberg packed his bags and boarded a plan to Asia to lead an international summit on climate change.
Bloomberg left Wednesday night for Hong Kong, where he will gather with other members of the C40 Climate Leadership Group, an association of cities aimed at finding ways to reduce waste and carbon emissions, he said.
Bloomberg, who was elected chair of the group in September, will take part in two days of workshops focusing on greener buildings and transportation, including electric cars, according to the group's schedule.
He will then make a speech on Saturday officially marking his takeover from the outgoing chair, Toronto Mayor David Miller.
"We've got to make sure that we all focus on the damage that we’re doing to the, drinking water and the air and the long-term climate change," Bloomberg told reporters before he left.
He also plans to travel to nearby Shenzhen, where he’ll tour factories that make turbine blades and other clean energy parts and meet with Hong Kong government leaders to try to attract new business to New York.
"We need jobs in this city and I’ll do anything, I’ll go any place in the world to get people to come here," he said.
The mayor will back stateside on Sunday in time for the New York City Marathon and promised to be at the finish line, cheering.
"It’s going to be a great time," he said, before offering any member of the press who completes the race a mayoral kiss.
The mayor last traveled to China in 2007.
