New York Taking On Climate Change

On April 18, 2019 New York City Council approved a plan, the local version of the Green New Deal, that requires thousands of buildings to take steps to reduce their greenhouse gas ("GHG") emissions. The plan implements a cap on carbon emissions for buildings over 25,000 sq. ft. in area and requires a 40% overall reduction in GHG emissions by 2030. The required reduction will apply to approximately 50,000 buildings located in New York City.

This represents the largest emissions reduction policy implemented by a city government to date. The new plan places a cap how many tons of carbon a building may produce per square ft with different standards for residential, commercial and industrial buildings.