New York City Announces Exciting Climate Agenda

New York, N.Y. – Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a number of bold climate and clean energy initiatives as part of his State of the City address, including to: develop an offshore wind hub in Brooklyn by 2023; double the amount of solar power produced in New York City; install solar on 50,000 homes; convert New York City’s entire fleet to electric vehicles; and, moving away from the use and expansion of fossil fuels and fossil fuel infrastructure in New York City.

A statement follows from Donna De Costanzo, Director, Eastern Region, Climate and Clean Energy Program at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC):

“New York City is a climate leader nationwide and worldwide. This climate agenda affirms the Big Apple’s unwavering commitment to a fossil fuel-free future that champions the health and safety of its residents.

Fossil fuels drive climate change and threaten our health. We need transformational actions to solve the climate crisis - our future is on the line. Transitioning away from fossil fuels will require that we significantly scale up clean energy solutions, like offshore wind, solar power and electric vehicles. These steps are needed to achieve a clean energy economy and all of the benefits that come with that for New Yorkers.

We welcome Mayor de Blasio’s announcement and look forward to working with city officials to continue to build a just climate future for all New Yorkers.”

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About the Natural Resources Defense Council

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.