NYC Climate Solutions is a team of city employees, community members and nonprofit organizations who work to create pathways to reach our climate goals. They are tackling a range of projects that can help New York meet our 80×50 goals and make the city more resilient to the impacts of climate change.
1. The Living Laboratory
Increasingly, cities are being seen as a place of innovation and trial for a range of climate-related interventions. These places of praxis can be especially useful in generating learning about the effectiveness of interventions and their underlying implementation processes.
The University of California, for example, has an extensive campus-based climate praxis program that includes a living lab where sustainable energy transitions are deployed. This has the potential to enhance energy literacy among campus users and raise their carbon-transition readiness, as well as potentially catalyse wider pro-environmental behaviours through increased environmental consciousness-raising.
Despite this potential, there are significant challenges that need to be considered if we are to maximise the potential of university-based, campus-scale sustainable energy-transition ‘living labs’. These include:
2. The Research and Technology Accelerator
Adaptation to climate change will be key to New York City’s future. It will help to mitigate the effects of climate-related disasters, such as extreme heat and severe storms, and reduce the risk of sea level rise and flooding.
The Research and Technology Accelerator will build on the city’s broader commitment to reducing climate risks while fostering a clean energy economy. It will drive capital to local innovators in an efficient and equitable way, ensuring that New Yorkers benefit from new solutions and technologies while reducing emissions 80% by 2050.
NYC’s climate resiliency programming includes initiatives such as green infrastructure to reduce the urban heat island effect, which increases mortality from extreme heat; the Be-a-Buddy Program that shares life-saving information with vulnerable populations; and outreach efforts to communities at high risk of climate impacts such as the elderly and low income neighborhoods.
To further support the transition to a low carbon and sustainable economy, NYC will continue to explore ways to increase funding for resiliency retrofits for 1-to-4 family homeowners; align grant eligibility with federal goals for increasing resiliency in dense urban areas; work with FEMA to identify ways to increase funding for nature-based solutions and wetlands projects that can mitigate flood hazards; and improve benefits-cost analyses that better account for risk in dense urban areas and capture more project benefits in low-resourced neighborhoods.
3. The Green Jobs Training Center
The Green Jobs Training Center offers students the opportunity to learn about a wide range of opportunities available in New York State to develop their skills and prepare for a green career. This includes a year-long internship for students and recent graduates at clean energy businesses that are looking to welcome the next generation of clean energy professionals into their teams.
Moreover, it provides funding for a year-long fellowship program that supports individuals from underserved communities as they work within businesses and organizations that advance climate justice and clean energy priorities in their communities. Fellows receive funding for salaries and professional development so they can build a sustainable future in a growing clean energy industry.
The Center also serves as an umbrella organization for several community-based organizations that promote energy efficiency and green building training and services. These include Sustainable South Bronx, an environmental stewardship training program for low-income residents; the Bronx Environmental Sustainability Corps, which works to address air pollution and community concerns in underserved neighborhoods; and SmartRoofs, which trains and pays people to install green roofs in homes.
4. The Convening Space
Convening a large crowd for a high octane meeting is no small feat, especially when the topic of discussion is cutting edge research, emerging technology or green building and energy efficiency. To be clear, it’s a good idea to have an event planner in place to ensure all the major players are on the same page before they hit the big green. Likewise, there’s no need to go overboard on a budget to get the ball rolling. A modest fee per person will do the trick. It’s also a good idea to keep the space free for anyone who wishes to take advantage of it.
Lastly, it’s a no brainer to have an interactive exhibits center of excellence at the epicenter. With a touch screen display that can be manipulated with a few keystrokes you’re sure to have your hands on the latest and greatest in the world of green design, engineering and construction. The best part is you can bring your dog with you (not a small feat). So, for the next time you’re in the market for cutting edge research or innovative products and services that can make your business a greener, healthier and smarter entity, come on by!
