"As New Yorkers get ready to elect their next mayor, climate stands out as a key issue shaping the city's future. Climate law-particularly Local Law 97 -has been a large topic of conversation throughout the mayoral race, with candidates' positions on its enforcement potentially influencing voter decisions. While it's encouraging to see LL97 in the debate as a sign that the city is moving in the right direction, its impact remains limited for neighborhoods outside Manhattan."
"As the election unfolds, one question looms large: Will the next administration translate policy ambition into neighborhood-level change? Because while LL97 is a step in the right direction for the city, a true climate legacy will depend on addressing the inequities that persist in how resilience is planned, funded, and felt across all five boroughs. Beyond promises, the mayor must reduce daily environmental burdens that harm New York City residents, especially low-income and BIPOC communities."
Local Law 97 has focused the city's climate efforts, but its benefits remain concentrated in Manhattan while frontline neighborhoods in the outer boroughs continue to shoulder disproportionate environmental burdens. The next mayor will face compounding climate challenges and widening inequities that require neighborhood-level action. Addressing flooding, combined sewer overflows, and inadequate stormwater infrastructure through drainage upgrades, permeable surfaces, and green streets will reduce daily harms. Prioritizing low-income and BIPOC communities with dedicated funding, targeted resilience planning, and concrete implementation commitments will be necessary to translate policy ambition into equitable climate outcomes across all five boroughs.
Read at City Limits
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]