The election results are a serious setback for environmental progress, with Donald Trump returning to the White House and an anti-environment Senate now standing in the way of urgently needed climate action. Although some victories were achieved here in New York, the results fell short of the strong environmental mandate we needed to combat the climate crisis.
This year has been a stark reminder that the cost of inaction—intensifying storms, rising sea levels, health impacts from pollution, and more—is only growing. New Yorkers understand these stakes, and over 91% of NYLCV-endorsed candidates won their races, underscoring a demand for bold state action. But this demand alone isn’t enough. Now, more than ever, our state leaders must step up and commit to decisive policies that protect clean air and water, safeguard public health, and drive a rapid transition to a clean energy economy.
With federal environmental protections under threat, we must double down on state-level action to protect the progress we’ve made and prevent massive rollbacks that put our communities at risk. We cannot afford to delay. We need an unwavering commitment from Albany to prioritize climate action, and we need our leaders to recognize the gravity of this moment. That includes implementing congestion pricing, passing a clean fuel standard and NY HEAT, creating a robust cap and invest program, and continuing to fund the clean energy transition.
The path forward may be steeper than ever, but we are resolved to continue the fight. New Yorkers demand a future built on climate resilience and environmental justice, and we will hold our leaders accountable to deliver it.