Photo Courtesy of Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office
By Michael V. Cusenza
De Blasio signed the order a day after President Trump announced that he’s pulling the country out of the Paris Climate Agreement.
By Michael V. Cusenza
A day after President Donald Trump announced that the United States would be withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed an Executive Order committing to honor the goals of the historic accord “so our city can remain a home for generations to come.”
“President Trump can turn his back on the world, but the world cannot ignore the very real threat of climate change,” de Blasio added. “This decision is an immoral assault on the public health, safety and security of everyone on this planet. New Yorkers are already experiencing hotter summers, more powerful storms and rising seas, which disproportionately affect already vulnerable communities.”
The Executive Order is composed of three sections:
Adopt and Commit
to the Principles and Goals Set Forth In the Paris Agreement
“To protect our residents and all human beings from the effects of climate change, New York City will adopt the principles and goals of the Paris Agreement to deliver climate actions that are consistent with or greater than its own commitments to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050 and that support the critical goal of , holding the increase in the global average temperature to below 2° Celsius above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5° Celsius above pre-industrial levels, as set forth in the Paris Agreement, which entered into force on November 4, 2016.
Develop New York City’s Pathway to Achieving Emissions Reductions Necessary to Contribute its Proportionate Share to Global Efforts
to Limit Warming to 1.S Celsius
“The mayor directs city agencies to work with the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, its national and global climate network partners and other leading cities to develop further greenhouse gas reduction plans and actions that are consistent with the principles and goals of the Paris Agreement and that contribute to global efforts to limit warming to 1.5° Celsius. All City agencies shall work with MOS to create a citywide plan by Sept. 30 to advance the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global temperature increase to 1.5° Celsius above pre-industrial levels by further reducing their own greenhouse gas emissions.
Global partnership
“New York City will commit to acting locally and globally, working with other leading United States cities, and with regional and state partners, business leaders, the faith community, the public health community, scientists, activists, and citizens across our community, these United States, and the world to meet our country’s 2016 commitment under the Paris Agreement, to make even more ambitious future commitments to emissions reductions, and to support inclusive, healthy and prosperous communities.”
Additionally, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, California Gov. Edmund Brown Jr., and Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee formed the U.S. Climate Alliance to convene states committed to achieving the country’s goal of reducing emissions 26-28 percent from 2005 levels and meeting or exceeding the targets of the federal Clean Power Plan. On Monday, the Alliance announced that Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia have all joined the coalition, “which is committed to upholding the Paris Accord and taking aggressive action on climate change.”
