New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson released today a comprehensive sustainability report that lays out strong and sensible strategies to help New York City fight climate change and build a livable city for all, especially communities on the front lines.
“Climate change is the greatest environmental challenge of our time, and our cities must implement solutions that address this crisis, build resiliency and strengthen our communities. Attacking this problem more comprehensively will provide vital benefits to our economy, health and quality of life,” said Eric A. Goldstein, Senior Attorney and New York City Environment Director at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).
“Speaker Johnson’s forward-looking and exciting sustainability report outlines numerous strategies that would help the city achieve its ambitious climate goals, including through facilitating increased energy efficiency and electrification of our buildings so that we can reduce fossil fuel consumption, create more jobs, and ensure that more New Yorkers can get the benefits of living in energy-conserving buildings.
The report also identifies exciting opportunities to scale up renewable energy and clean transportation in the city, such as transforming Rikers Island into a renewable energy hub, focusing on opportunities within affordable housing, and expanding electric vehicle infrastructure.
Other highlights:
Requiring the City to develop a comprehensive, five-borough resiliency plan, to be developed with “intense community engagement”
Adding more green infrastructure and greenspaces, especially in Southeast Queens and other environmental justice communities that already feel the negative effects of climate change
Expanding access to residential organics pick-up to every New Yorker, which would reduce waste sent to landfill and curb climate-changing methane emissions.
“These actions build upon New York City’s climate leadership and can serve as an example for other cities that want to do more to fight climate change.”
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than three million members and online activists.
