Post Type: FACT SHEETS
IT IS HAPPENING ON BOTH A NATIONAL AND GLOBAL LEVEL AND ON OUR CITY’S STREETS.
Communities across the city devastated by Hurricane Sandy fear another extreme weather event. We all worry about aging relatives and children during heat waves that now occur more frequently. New Yorkers are already affected by regular tidal flooding — and it will only get worse and more widespread as sea levels continue to rise in New York City at twice the global average. Lives are on the line, time is not on our side, and the future of our city is in jeopardy.
The science behind climate change is indisputable:
The burning of fossil fuels is the single largest contributor to human-caused climate change. Unfortunately, climate change is a national emergency without a national policy, and efforts to curb fossil fuels and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have been stymied by federal actions such as the repeal of the Clean Power Plan, the federal government’s intention to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, and the weakening of vehicle fuel standards— as well as a persistent campaign of deception and denial by fossil fuel companies.
Our goal is to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, and do so in a just and equitable way. To make our communities safe and resilient, we will continue to invest in flood and heat mitigation, and in hardening our critical infrastructure, including transit, energy, telecommunications, water, wastewater, and waste management. We will also ensure our air and water are clean, residents have access to open and natural spaces, and sustainable transportation options are available to everyone. We will do all of this while housing a diverse and growing population
and creating good-paying and accessible jobs.
New York City will have a livable climate and take a leadership role both at home and abroad in confronting climate change.
