New York State Is Lagging Far Behind on Its Climate Commitments
New York has a long history of setting climate goals to great fanfare — and then missing them. A new climate law makes more promises, but will Governor Andrew Cuomo deliver?
Al Gore (L) shakes New York governor Andrew Cuomo’s hand after the governor signed the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). (Luke Franke / Audubon)
Governor Cuomo touts himself as a leader on climate. Like just about any elected Democrat, he says all the right stuff: climate change is an existential crisis, a national emergency, indeed a global emergency. To not address it would be gross negligence.
And to his credit, under pressure from activists, Cuomo has banned fracking, denied major pipeline proposals, and signed the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).
The CLCPA requires New York to slash pollution by 40 percent by 2030 and over 85 percent by 2050, compared to 1990 baselines. It’s a big deal; no other state has set economy-wide pollution reduction targets into law.
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