UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 7 – Expressing impatience with the slowness of national governments, municipal leaders from around the world agreed today that local governments must take action on their own to address global warming and other broad environmental threats. 

After hearing a procession of speakers who warned the problems were too serious to wait, the mayors and other community leaders decided to form a new group, the International Council for Local Enviromental Initiatives, to provide mutual help in coping with common concerns like water pollution, toxic waste, deforestation and the greenhouse effect.