A proven record of leadership on environmental justice & sustainability
CONTACT: Jordan Levine (NYLCV) – 917-392-8965, jlevine@nylcv.
NEW YORK — The New York League of Conservation Voters, which works to make environmental sustainability a top political and policy priority in New York State, has announced its endorsement of Bill de Blasio for New York City Mayor.
Since he was elected in 2014, Mayor de Blasio has been a fierce advocate for environmental causes. The sustainability agenda he put forth under OneNYC includes ambitious initiatives such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050, sending zero waste to landfills by 2030, and having the best air quality among major U.S. cities by 2030. Accompanying these initiatives is a roadmap that contains milestones and specific indicators that are to be completed by the end of each year. This endeavor has not only increased transparency but it has kept his administration focused on creating a greener, healthier, and more equitable New York.
Under Mayor de Blasio’s leadership, the City has has reduced more than 300,000 metric tons of CO2e, reduced GHG emissions 14 percent, expanded the City’s solar capacity to over 100 MW, expanded the City’s electric vehicle fleet to nearly 1,000, completed the remediation of 577 toxic properties, and completed the TreesCount! tree census surveying over 130,000 blocks to identify the number of trees in the City.
“When you have an incumbent mayor who has wholeheartedly embraced a robust environmental agenda, the case for re-election is open-and-closed. Through his OneNYC Plan, Mayor de Blasio has put New York City on the path to a greener, healthier and more equitable future. There is still much work to be done, however, and achieving initiatives like 80 x 50 requires a steady course. The Mayor deserves a chance to see these efforts through in a second term and NYLCV is proud to endorse him,” said Marcia Bystryn, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters. “Officials in Washington are responding to climate change by burying their heads in the sand so cities must fill the vacuum and lead. Mayor de Blasio understands the grave threat a changing climate poses to our city and the world. He and his administration have embraced their role in charting a bold and innovative path forward for others to follow. When leaders step up on climate as Mayor de Blasio has, we must stand with them at the ballot box.”
“No one fights harder for the air we breathe, the water we drink, or our impact on climate change than the New York League of Conservation Voters,” said Mayor de Blasio. “Under the OneNYC plan, New York City will reduce carbon emissions 80% by 2050, send zero waste to landfills by 2030, and have the cleanest air of any big city in America. Achieving these goals will make our City a global leader in sustainability and environmental justice, and I look forward to working closely with the NYLCV to make them a reality.”