De Blasio Unveils Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced a plan for the city to significantly reduce its greenhouse gas by 2050, starting with efforts to make the city's buildings more energy efficient.
De Blasio unveiled the retrofitting plan Sunday, the same day as the People's Climate March focusing on global warming was being held in Manhattan.
The mayor's proposal would cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent compared to 2005, the city said.
LINK: More On De Blasio's 'Built To Last' Plan
"Climate change is an existential threat to New Yorkers and our planet," de Blasio said in a statement. "Acting now is nothing short of a moral imperativ. New York City must continue to set the pace and provide the bold leadership that's needed – and becoming the world's largest city to commit to an 80 percent reduction in emissions by 2050 is central to that commitment."
Most of the city's greenhouse gas emissions can be traced to the energy needed to power electrical, heating and cooling systems in its buildings.
The plan calls for about 3,000 city-owned buildings that have "significant" energy use to be retrofitted by 2025. That includes schools, hospitals and libraries. The city will also offer incentives for private owners to upgrade their buildings.
"By retrofitting all of our public buildings with significant energy use in the next ten years, we're leading by example; and by partnering with the private sector, we'll reduce emissions and improve efficiency while generating billions in savings and creating thousands of jobs for New Yorkers who need it most," de Blasio said.
The plan is called "One City, Built to Last: Transforming New York City's Buildings for A Low-Carbon Future."
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