BOSTON—It was a week of private jets, beachside climate panels, and world-stage self-congratulation in Rio de Janeiro as global leaders gathered for COP30 — the annual summit famous for warning about emissions while racking up thousands of air miles to discuss them.

Boston was front and center at the festivities after the city received a Bloomberg-funded “Local Leaders Climate Award” for Energy Transition and Smarter Buildings. The prize celebrated Mayor Michelle Wu’s signature climate rules — BERDO and the Equitable Emissions Investment Fund — policies that international climate groups applaud and many Boston property owners quietly dread.

City Hall announced the win with full fanfare, though it remains unclear whether Mayor Wu herself flew to Brazil or whether staff accepted the honor on Boston’s behalf. Either way, the optics write themselves: Boston gets global praise abroad while residents back home brace for higher bills and looming compliance deadlines.

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The award lauds the very mandates landlords say could cost billions, drive up rents, and force expensive retrofits that small property owners can barely afford. Wu’s team insists the recognition is proof that “community-based solutions work.” For many neighborhoods, the question isn’t whether the trophy looks nice — it’s whether the policies behind it will price them out.

Boston may be winning applause in Rio. Back home, people are still trying to calculate what the applause will cost.