New York Becomes First City to Hatch a 1.5°C Paris Agreement-Compliant Climate Action Plan

Earlier this week, New York City became the first city to devise a plan for meeting the goals outlined in the Paris Accord —the world’s first comprehensive climate agreement from which President Trump pledged to pull the U.S. from.  The 1.5°C Paris Agreement-compliant climate action plan comes in response to Executive Order 26 (EO26), signed by Mayor de Blasio that reaffirms the city’s commitment to upholding the goals of the Paris Agreement.

The plan identifies specific strategies for reducing GHG emissions necessary to limit global temperature increase to 1.5 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels, as set forth in the Paris Agreement.  Leading the charge is the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability (MOS), which has been moving the city’s decarbonization efforts forward by accelerating the implementation of existing projects launched under the 80 X 50 initiative—a goal of reducing GHG emissions 80 percent by 2050.

This landmark piece of climate leadership is a big deal.  It’s evidence that cities aren’t just making bold commitments with no plan of how to achieve them; they’re taking action and setting the processes for how to get there.
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The single largest action the City can take to reduce GHG emissions is through building energy performance mandates.  Fossil fuels used for heat and hot water in buildings collectively make up 39% of GHG emissions—the city’s largest source of emissions.  That’s why earlier this month Mayor de Blasio announced mandates requiring 14,500 buildings to meet fossil fuel standards by 2030.

NYC is a pilot, giving context for how a city can set, and achieve, science-based objectives.

Read more at New York Becomes First City to Hatch a 1.5°C Paris Agreement-Compliant Climate Action Plan