The Climate Crisis

Climate change is a global problem that impacts all of us. We have already seen its effects around the world, and right here in New York City: horrific fires in Australia and California; deadly heat waves across Europe; the catastrophic hurricanes that have wreaked havoc on our neighbors in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean; and Superstorm Sandy, which caused 43 deaths and $19 billion in damage in the five boroughs alone.

We must act now and take aggressive measures to adapt to and mitigate climate change. The science is indisputable – if we don’t make changes now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and halt global warming, our planet will suffer long-standing and irreversible effects.

Unfortunately, our federal government denies science and is callously looking to roll back important environmental protections nationwide. Not only is the Trump Administration postponing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study of coastal storm protections for New York and New Jersey, but the president of this country is also advising us to get out our “mops and buckets” rather than taking this problem seriously and helping us prepare for the future. The protection of our coastline is vital, and any delay in the study’s completion puts millions of lives at risk.

While we will continue to fight the federal government to combat damaging policies, New York City must continue to move forward with a local blueprint to address climate change. Already, we have taken bold action.

We passed groundbreaking legislation ensuring that sustainability is a core principle of government operations, reducing building emissions, and developing a streets master plan that focuses on safe, sustainable modes of transportation.

New York City also remains committed to the principles of the Paris Agreement, and we have joined together with other cities and countries in a global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050.

We will continue to do more.

We need to build a more resilient city to withstand the rising sea level and extreme weather that is coming, and to protect both the neighborhoods that have already been hit hard and those that are at risk in the future. We need to transition from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy. We need to transform ourselves into a circular economy, by designing waste out of our system. And we need to focus our efforts on building a robust pipeline for good paying green jobs.

This report lays out strategies that New York City can pursue in the fight against climate change. New York City is and always has been a leader. The actions we take together will inspire communities across the world, and help us usher in a greener, healthier, and more equitable future for our City and our planet.

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Summary of Recommendations

The policy proposals outlined in this report are steps the City can take to fight the climate crisis.

Read all the Recommendations in the Sustainability report

Resiliency

In the coming decades, climate change will have a significant impact on New York City, causing sea level rise, extreme heat, and heavy downpours.

One major threat comes from the surrounding water. The city has approximately 520 miles of coastline – more shoreline mileage than the cities of Miami, Boston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, combined. This makes the city vulnerable to the impacts of sea level rise, including: regular tidal flooding, coastal storm surges, and land inundation Moderate projections suggest the city could face monthly tidal flooding of some areas by the 2050s.

Climate change is also expected to cause increased precipitation. Localized flooding already regularly occurs during rainfalls in which the local stormwater management system becomes overwhelmed, or poorly-maintained systems become clogged. There are neighborhoods where residents report that street flooding from downpour water alone has become “a new normal” after any rainstorm.

The average daily maximum summer temperature in New York City has been rising since 1900 and it is projected that future heat waves will be longer, hotter, and more frequent. Extreme heat results in more deaths annually than any other type of extreme weather event and is exacerbated by the urban heat island effect, which can cause cities to be up to 22 degrees warmer than nearby suburban and rural fareas.

While availability of adequate cooling is important for every New Yorker, seniors, as well as persons with disabilities and persons with serious health conditions, are particularly vulnerable. Additionally, studies of prior heat waves have shown that Black people were disproportionately represented among those impacted, making up almost half of all heat-related deaths. The CDC emphasizes that every single heat-related death is preventable.

Below is a map of heat disparity in New York City. This map, made using Landsat 8 Satellite data, captures surface temperature. It shows how trees, water, elevation, and permeable surfaces such as grass decrease temperatures across the city. Black tar roofs, pavement, and a lack of tree coverage result in higher temperatures. Parks across the city are among the coolest locales, while JFK, Southeast Queens and the Bronx are among the hottest areas.

Resiliency is about preparedness. It is about strengthening our most socially and physically vulnerable infrastructure and neighborhoods. We can make New York City more resilient to climate change’s hazards through thoughtful planning that is grounded in science, while engaging our communities in the process.

Landsat Level 2 Surface Temperature Science Product courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey.

Resiliency Proposals

Energy and Emissions

Climate change is the most critical and urgent issue facing our world, as climate scientists around the globe concur that we have until 2030 to curb GHG emissions before there are irreversible and long-lasting effects. While climate change has always existed, human activity-generated GHGs have accelerated warming and need to be curbed to maintain relative planet climate stability.

Much of our climate emergency comes from energy systems. Among other global leaders, New York State and City are working to reduce GHG emissions by over 80% by 2050 to help avoid the most drastic effects of climate change. The State goal is an emissions reduction of 85% from a 1990 baseline by 2050 (85×50) and the City goal is 80% from a 2005 baseline by 2050 (80×50). The only way to accomplish this is to aggressively transition off of fossil fuels and onto clean, renewable energy.

The transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy creates challenges to operating power grids and energy systems to meet the energy needs required to handle base, intermediate, and peak loads. The power created by renewable energy generation is intermittent, as wind can blow at a variety of speeds and cloud variation alters the feed to solar photovoltaic systems. Safeguarding grid stability requires a diverse mix of electrical sources. Renewable electricity sources such as hydropower and geothermal power can easily imitate traditional coal-fired or nuclear power, and geothermal power is most efficient when it is allowed to run continuously and without interruptions. Power sources that are flexible, reliable, and able to ramp up are essential to creating a network that is dependable given the cost and bandwidth to operate such a grid.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the five main sources of renewable energy are biomass, geothermal, hydropower, solar, and wind. Together, these energies have thus far grown to comprise 14% of New York State and 7% of New York City energy consumption as of 2017 (see figures). As of 2017, fossil fuels are used to create 65% of the energy source for NYC.

NYC Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, Energy Information Administration: State Energy Data System

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Energy and Emissions Proposals

Sustainable, Circular Economy

An economy that is circular refers to a system aimed at minimizing waste and maximizing resources. Waste, and in particular landfilled waste, should be considered a design flaw of our system.

To achieve a circular economy, we must reduce the amount of waste we create, reuse or recycle what we are unable to reduce, and support growth of the market for products and services that are designed to significantly reduce negative impacts on the environment.

The standard approach to production has typically been: take, make, use, and dispose. Raw materials—often generated through resource-intense and high-impact processes—are transformed into products, which are purchased by consumers who ultimately throw them out. This linear consumption model is not sustainable.

The circular economy promises a system in which waste, pollution, and other harmful effects can be reduced or eliminated through innovative design.

To be successful, the City must have a clear understanding of the materials people use and how these materials are reused or disposed of. Collecting appropriate data and accurately analyzing our waste stream is an essential part of this process, as it allows us to identify inefficiencies and find opportunities for innovation and change.

Of the 80% of NYC Waste that went to landfill in 2017, 77% of it can be diverted. Of the 50 community board districts in NYC, 23 districts (40%) have full coverage, no enrollment needed, curbside organics pickup available.

Sustainable, Circular Economy Goals

Green Jobs Pipeline

Green jobs are good, sustainable jobs. Not only do they assist in preserving the environment, strengthening the resiliency of the City, and making the City more habitable for residents, green jobs also often provide better salaries than their non-green counterparts.

There are a number of private training programs available to New Yorkers that prepare participants with the necessary skills to work in a green job.

However, they can be costly, have limited space available, or job seekers are unaware of their existence. Industries supported by union workers have partnered with some private and not-for-profit providers to increase awareness of the programs and, in many instances, to cover the cost of the training.

Through these initiatives, green job development opportunities have reached a wide audience; however, there is still a large proportion of the City’s existing and potential workforce that could benefit from these programs.

Goals to Drive a Green Economy

Our city needs to respond to the climate crisis and it needs to enable New Yorkers to do their part.

This report provides a local blueprint for the city to move forward to address climate change.