SAN FRANCISCO — Several thousand people from more than 70 countries attended the Ecocity World Summit on April 22 to 26 at Masonic Auditorium and the U.C. Berkeley Extension in SoMa.

The conference highlighted what cities throughout the world are doing about climate change and environmental issues.

California Assemblywoman Fiona Ma spoke on an April 25 panel about the future of transportation and city structure concerning California’s proposed high-speed rail, which would eventually link San Diego to Sacramento and would potentially enable travelers to go from San Francisco to Los Angeles in fewer than two and a half hours. Supporters hope the train will result in an overall reduction of fuel consumption from automobiles and planes.

Ma, a leading advocate of the high-speed rail, said she had just returned from Japan where she rode on the Shinkansen, the first high-speed train in the world.  Shinkansen began operating in 1964 and has an outstanding safety record of no passenger fatalities due to derailments or collisions.

California’s high-speed rail will be on the ballot in November, requesting authorization by California voters for a $9 billion bond measure for the construction of the core segment from Los Angeles to San Francisco.