Thanks to recent efforts by Mayor Bill de Blasio, New York City is steadily progressing down the path of sustainability. His recent mandate calls for a drastic reduction in carbon emissions from existing buildings within the five boroughs. Building off of the city’s current sustainability plan (One City Built to Last), the mandate is intended to maximize energy efficiency by upgrading or retrofitting buildings with solar panels and improved heaters, boilers, and windows. The plan has the capacity to cut 7% of the city’s carbon emissions by 2035, and it is precisely this cultivation of urban technology that will help curb climate change in the long run.
Although de Blasio has generated support from a variety of environmentalist groups, he has his share of critics – primarily advocates of the lower-income population. As beneficial as his proposal may prove to be, it fails to guarantee protection for rent regulated tenants against possible rent increases; the Major Capital Investment rule would allow landlords to jack up their rents due to the high initial costs of retrofitting. De Blasio’s mandate just may be the next step toward a sustainable future for the city and the world as a whole, but its shortcomings must be addressed in order to effectively and justly bring about change.
NYC strives for a #sustainablefuture w/ help from de Blasio's mandate requiring a cut in carbon emissions. #bcsfh2ohttps://t.co/Z7s9QN9911
— Jordan Williams (@jordwill98) September 27, 2017
