Res. No. 169

Resolution calling for the Climate Action Council to draft, and the Governor to implement, a final Climate Action Council Scoping Plan that commits to meeting CLCPA targets and bold climate & environmental justice action in New York.

By Council Members Restler, Hanif, De La Rosa, Gutiérrez, Riley, Gennaro, Hudson, Joseph, Avilés, Brewer, Louis, Dinowitz, Won, Krishnan, Nurse, Schulman, Menin, Williams, Ossé, Brannan, Cabán, Rivera, Powers, Bottcher, Marte, Hanks, Abreu, Sanchez, Velázquez, Narcisse, Farías, Brooks-Powers, Salamanca, Ung, Ayala, Moya, Lee and Mealy (in conjunction with the Brooklyn Borough President) (by request of the Queens Borough President)

Whereas, New Yorkers are experiencing the effects of the climate crisis, such as worsening storms, flooding, sea level rise and heat waves; and

Whereas, in 2019 the New York State Legislature passed the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, committing New York to a net-zero carbon economy by 2050, a 100% zero emission electric sector by 2040, a 40% reduction from 1990 levels in statewide greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, 70% renewable energy by 2030, and 40% of the benefits of spending on climate programs to disadvantaged communities; and

Whereas, The effects of climate change are often inequitably distributed, with communities of color, children, older people, and low income communities, who often lack the financial and community resources to adequately respond to weather-related disasters, more likely to experience the deleterious effects; and

Whereas, According to the International Panel on Climate Change, substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions will be required by mid-century in order to limit the global average increase in temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius, and no more than 2 degrees Celsius, to minimize the worst impacts of climate change; and

Whereas, The IPCC’s most recent report found that “without immediate and deep emissions reductions across all sectors, limiting global warming to 1.5°C is beyond reach,” stating that no new fossil fuel infrastructure must be built; and

Whereas, The Climate Action Council is tasked with developing recommendations to achieve the requirements of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act; and

Whereas, The Climate Action Council’s Draft Scoping Plan estimates that the benefits of implementing a robust Scoping Plan to meet the CLCPA will outweigh the costs by over $90 billion dollars; and

Whereas, Buildings, transportation, and electricity generation account for 73% of New York’s statewide greenhouse gas emissions, while the use of fossil fuels for heating and hot water production in the city’s building stock accounts for approximately 42% of the City’s total GHG emissions; and

Whereas, In 2019, NYC passed the Climate Mobilization Act, featuring Local Law 97, limiting emissions from new and existing buildings over 25,000 square feet, and Local Laws 92 and 94, requiring solar and green roofs for new building construction. Together, these laws are expected to reduce emissions from the city’s largest buildings by 40% by 2030 and 80% by 2050; and

Whereas, Decarbonizing New York City’s building stock will require an aggressive push toward large scale building electrification, and widespread equitable access to air source and geothermal heat pumps, and energy efficiency upgrades and retrofits; and

Whereas, The Scoping Plan should include recommendations in support of all newly constructed buildings being all-electric by 2024, full electrification of building stock statewide,  and the cessation of marketing and incentives for gas and fuel oil;

Whereas, Over 69% of New York City’s power is produced via fossil fuel combustion, and environmental justice communities in New York City bear an inequitable burden of pollution from local “peaker plants,” which despite running infrequently, emit almost 2.7 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually, and constituted almost 5 percent of New York City’s CO2 emissions in 2019; and

Whereas, It is imperative that New York City achieve a 100% zero-emissions electric grid, and to protect public health no new or repowered fossil fuel power plants should be permitted in New York; and

Whereas, Clean energy like offshore wind, rooftop solar, battery storage, transmission upgrades can provide power in New York, drive economic growth, and reduce New York City’s reliance on dirty fossil fuel plants; and

Whereas, New York State’s Just Transition Working Group estimates that more than 211,000 green jobs could be created by 2030 as a result of climate policies, with New York City poised to become a major hub for the offshore wind industry, and growing local industries in energy efficiency, electrification retrofits and installations, and rooftop solar; and

Whereas, The recommendations of the State’s Climate and Just Transition Working Groups and frontline environmental justice leaders must be incorporated into the final recommendations for the Scoping Plan, including year by year targets for transitioning to zero emissions electricity, widespread transportation electrification, and enhancement of transit, smart growth, and reduced vehicle miles traveled (VMT) through bike and pedestrian infrastructure expansions; and

Whereas, It is imperative that the Governor ensure that these provisions are recommended in the final scoping plan, to protect the health and well-being of New Yorkers and meet the challenge of climate change while building a clean energy economy for all; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls for the Climate Action Council to draft, and the Governor to implement, a final Climate Action Council Scoping Plan that commits to meeting CLCPA targets and bold climate & environmental justice action in New York.

NRC

LS#8777

5/12/2022