On Nov 16th, NY Renews held rallies across the State to launch the Climate, Jobs and Justice Campaign (CJJP). In New York City, NYC-EJA along with our members El Puente, The Point CDC, and UPROSE joined a number of allies in Union Square to introduce the campaign to the public.

Back in 2019, NY Renews fought for and won NY’s landmark climate law. It was a huge moment for the grassroots climate justice movement in NYS. However, 3 years after it’s passage, our hard-fought Climate Act still isn’t fully funded. The CJJP would put communities at the center of our renewable-energy future. The CJJP will fast-track the path to an equitable fossil-free future. The right investments and programs aren’t just “clean & green” but also just, equitable, and anti-racist.

Election day votes were clear: 60% of New Yorkers across the state voted in favor of climate funding by voting for the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, which gives the state the green light to borrow $4.2 billion, including investments in conservation and climate-crisis adaptation measures.

On Nov 14th, Climate Works for All (CW4A) rallied on the steps of City Hall to call for stronger Local Law 97 (LL97) rules and implementation, including limitations on the purchase of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) and better definitions of ‘good faith efforts’ at compliance. These rules will shape the implementation of LL97 - the groundbreaking legislation that limits carbon emissions from NYC’s largest buildings starting in 2024, which CW4A helped push. The group gathered in advance of the Department of Buildings’ virtual public hearing on a set of proposed rules for LL97. In conjunction with the hearing, the Office of the NYC Comptroller released its report Cap the Credits: Strong Implementation of Local Law 97, NYC's Green New Deal for Buildings. Much of the Comptroller's data and analysis provided in the report confirms CW4A’s analysis and recommendations.

On Nov 23, Governor Hochul signed the nation's first crypto-mining moratorium bill (A.7389-C/S.6486-D) into law. The bill, approved by the state Senate in June, will trigger a two-year moratorium on new permits for crypto plants that are powered by planet-warming fossil fuels and use so-called proof-of-work authentication methods. This is one of the most restrictive laws in the US regulating the practice of crypto-mining and its environmental impacts.

The City: Already Too Late, City Hall’s Climate Plan Denounced as Too Little (11/7/22)

Crain’s New York: City’s new climate plan “insufficient” to protect New Yorkers (11/11/22)

Brooklyn Paper: First leg of Con Edison’s ‘Reliable Clean City’ projects halfway done in Queens; construction underway in Brooklyn and Staten Island (11/15/22)

Fashion United: In New York, fashion companies may soon be accountable for their environmental impact (11/18/22) 

Gothamist: Gov. Kathy Hochul signs nation’s first cryptocurrency mining ban (11/23/22) 

Be sure to check for more exciting news from NYC-EJA about our ongoing work, on our website and in future newsletters! And if you like what you read, please consider making a tax-exempt donation to support our work.