Climate Change Policy in New York State
USA| Wessal Bakry

TREEage is a youth-led climate advocacy group based in and focused on New York whose focus lies on educating high school and college students on the impact of environmental injustice, the importance of advocating for an equitable future, and the ways in which our generation can affect change within our schools, communities, and the city at large. In March 2023, I attended a civic service and engagement trip to the State Capitol Building in Albany, NY as part of a Youth Day of Action with New York Renews. 

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Our objectives were the following:

• Gain a deeper understanding of how the state legislature works

• Speak directly with their state representatives on why our government needs to take action to mitigate the effects of climate change

• Develop organizational, leadership, and professional skills

• Create/develop youth networks

• Meet sustainability and climate professionals from government and non-profit sectors as well as members of the New York State Legislature

 

I, alongside over 100+ members of TREEage and the support of Kristen Gonzalez, an alumnus from my high school,  lobbied over 60 New York State Senators and Assembly Members, including Steven Rage and Kevin Parker. We started our meetings by sharing our personal climate stories, after which we would explain why we, as a collective, believe supporting the Climate, Jobs, & Justice Package is integral to the safety and health of all New York Citizens.

 

Our three key demands:

1. Fully Fund and Implement New York's Climate Act

• Climate and Community Protection Fund creates a pool of money to fund and implement our landmark Climate Act.

2. Build Renewable Energy for All and Create Good, Green Union Jobs

• Build Public Renewables Act (A.279/S.4134) would allow the New York Power Authority to build new large-scale renewables more quickly, effectively, and democratically than private developers.

• Climate Accountability Act gives state agencies the power and guidance they need to implement the Climate Act and ensure that our energy system is accountable and transparent to the public.

• NY Home Energy Affordable Transition Act (S.2016 / A.9329 of 2022) will give the Public Service Commission the authority and direction to align gas utilities with the Climate Act’s emission reduction and climate justice mandates.

• Just Energy Transition Act (S.2935/A.9881 of 2022) provides a plan to guide the replacement and redevelopment of New York State’s fossil fuel facilities and sites by 2030.

3. Make Polluters and the Ultra-Rich Pay What They Owe

• Climate Change Superfund Act (S.2129/A.3351) makes the state’s worst polluters, major oil companies, pay for the harm they’ve caused.

• Stop Climate Polluter Handouts Act (S.3389 / A.8483 of 2022) will end the most egregious state subsidies of $330 million to climate crisis contributors—the fossil fuel industry.

• Invest in Our New York’s Plan to Fund Our Future is a revenue and spending package from the Invest in Our New York (IONY) coalition that will ensure that the state eliminates wasteful handouts to businesses and that the richest New Yorkers pay what they owe to fund our climate law.