New York State's Climate Action Council (Council) Co-Chairs, Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) President and CEO Doreen M. Harris, Monday announced the approval and adoption of the New York State Climate Action Council Scoping Plan, which outlines recommended policies and actions to help meet the goals and requirements of the nation-leading Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act). After a 19-3 vote by the Council during a meeting on Dec. 19, 2022, the Scoping Plan is available to the public and will be submitted to the Governor and the State Legislature by Jan. 1. This critical milestone represents the culmination of over three years of collaboration, including contributions from the Council's Advisory Panels and Working Groups, since the enactment of the Climate Act in 2019.
Climate Action Council Co-Chair and DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said, "I applaud my colleagues on the Climate Action Council, and members of the various advisory panels and working groups, for their tireless work over the past three years to develop this Scoping Plan to serve as a framework to achieve our ambitious climate targets under the nation-leading Climate Act. This Plan serves as a bold, monumental achievement not just for New York State, but for the nation and the world, which centers on equity and climate justice across all sectors, building opportunities for all, and ensuring we have a workforce that can transition as seamlessly as possible in our new clean energy economy. Our work is just beginning, and we are leading the way to a cleaner, greener, and brighter future.
Climate Action Council Co-Chair and NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, "New York State laid the groundwork for change with its nation-leading climate law, and through the diligent and thoughtful work of the Climate Action Council, along with input from the public in every corner of the state, we now have an action plan to follow to ensure we meet these critical goals. Today is certainly a day to celebrate, but this also marks the beginning of more significant work to come as we forge the path ahead and lead by example on how to transition an economy based on the conventional energy practices of yesterday to the thriving green economy of tomorrow."
The Council approved the Scoping Plan following the release of the Draft Scoping Plan on Dec. 30, 2021, and a robust public comment period that included 11 public hearings across the State and more than 35,000 written comments. This feedback and other information on the plan's development can be found on the New York State Climate Act website, along with an Executive Summary and additional resources. The Council's seven Advisory Panels, along with the Climate Justice Working Group (CJWG) and Just Transition Working Group (JTWG), also submitted recommendations for consideration in the development of the Scoping Plan. The contributions from these groups are included in appendices to the Scoping Plan. As required under the Climate Act, the Council will update the Scoping Plan every five years to ensure the plan continues to meet the State's aggressive climate targets.
The Scoping Plan's recommendations will provide the foundation to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, drive critical building and transportation electrification, secure climate justice, and advance the State's commitment to economywide carbon neutrality by 2050 consistent with interim and long-term directives established in the Climate Act. The Plan outlines actions needed for New York to achieve 70 percent renewable energy by 2030; 100 percent zero-emission electricity by 2040; a 40-percent reduction in statewide greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2030, an 85-percent reduction from 1990 levels by 2050; and net-zero emissions statewide by 2050. It also identifies a variety of regulatory and legal changes, market mechanisms, and technologies essential to achieving these directives.
Based on the Council's integration analysis, recommendations include:
- Critical investments in every sector of New York's economy to support deep decarbonization efforts;
- Accelerated energy efficiency and end-use electrification mechanisms to foster approximately one to two million homes transitioning to clean heating and cooling options such as heat pumps by 2030, in addition to a statewide scale-up of approximately three million zero-emission vehicles on the roads by 2030; and
- Electric grid infrastructure investments to support retrofitting existing infrastructure to help withstand extreme weather and deploying energy storage or onsite renewables that will improve the reliability and resilience of the electric grid in the face of worsening storms and other impacts of climate change.
New York's climate actions, as recommended by the Council in the Scoping Plan, will deliver many benefits to New Yorkers, including:
- Clean and reliable electric power through solar, wind, and other renewables, combined with energy storage, to help end consumer vulnerability to fossil fuel disruptions and price volatility;
- Energy-efficient and comfortable homes and businesses with a scale-up of modern, clean heating and cooling technologies, such as electric heat pumps and smart thermostats, combined with weatherization measures;
- Healthy, efficient, and reliable electric vehicle access that will save New Yorkers money with lower costs to fuel, operate, and maintain. Zero-emission transportation options, including mass transit, fleet vehicles, and medium-/heavy-duty electric vehicles, will foster fresher air and cleaner communities across the State;
- Smart energy choices through State and federal programs and incentives designed to help New Yorkers choose and afford more efficient and higher-performing electric appliances and vehicles when gasoline vehicles and fossil-fueled heating or cooking appliances need replacement;
- Significant growth in jobs within green industries, with union labor as the backbone of the State's clean energy economy, which will help create family-sustaining jobs and wage gains across the economy and in every corner of the State;
Healthy living for families through improved air quality, increased active transportation such as walking and biking, and promoting energy efficiency in low- and moderate-income homes. New Yorkers will see positive health benefits that will help avoid tens of thousands of premature deaths, thousands of non-fatal heart attacks, asthma-related emergency room visits, and other hospitalizations; and Smart infrastructure investments for a healthy future, with the cost of inaction in New York State exceeding the cost of action by more than $115 billion.
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