NYC vs. the World
How does New York City’s efforts to become more green compare to the two other global cities described in this discussion? The comparison and analysis will take place here.
Tokyo:
One idea New York City could take from Tokyo is the utilization of solar energy. Tokyo has realized the importance of introducing sources of renewable energy into their city, and consequently has one of the largest installations of solar energy generators in the world. To promote the extensive use of solar energy among its citizens, Tokyo has decided to work on establishing a mechanism in which people who install solar energy equipment obtain economic rewards in return. To encourage people to switch to solar energy, the mechanism plans to reduce the cost for installing solar energy equipment so that the cost will be repaid within 10 years. Through this plan, Tokyo hopes to use 1 million kW of solar energy (photovoltaic and solar thermal systems) by 2016.
In terms of transportation, Tokyo is making an effort to promote the use of public transportation. The CO2 emissions from the transportation sector account for 25% of the total emissions, so reducing this percentage is a big goal for the city. One way to encourage the use of public transportation is through the use of incentives. For example, one idea is to give out rechargeable travel cards with money initially on them when certain purchases are made. This would encourage the consumer to use the public transportation system, as they were just given a free pass to do so.
Mexico City:
Mexico City’s plan to reduce pollution consists of school bus transportation for private schools and restrictions on non-occupied taxis. Looking at NYC, a comparison can be drawn to the recent efforts to get New Yorkers to share cabs, which will reduce the per-person fees. While NYC is already heavily using school bus transportation for its schools, Mexico City plans to follow suit. While incentives are the primary method to reduce vehicle use in NYC and Tokyo, Mexico seems to be using mandates to accomplish its aims. For example, pilot congestion pricing gives commuters an incentive to take public transportation, while Tokyo offers rechargeable travel cards. In contrast, Mexico’s “Today, Don’t Drive” program does not give commuters a voluntary choice in their mode of transportation for a given day. While one method has not proved to be more effective than another, it is interesting to note these differences.
-New York City is using wind power (Con-Ed), while both Mexico City and Tokyo are emphasizing solar energy as green energy.
-To reduce congestion, New York is using Pilot Congestion Pricing. In Mexico City, “Hoy No Circula” is being used to mandate a reduction in congestion in the city. “Today, Don’t Drive” program does not give commuters a voluntary choice in their mode of transportation for a given day. While one method has not proved to be more effective than another, it is interesting to note these differences.
*These examples illustrate the variations in sustainability plans for NYC, Mexico City, and Tokyo. Each city can consider a global perspective when tackling the issues of mitigation and sustainability.
