19 New Certified Climate Smart Communities Announced During Earth Week
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation sent this bulletin on 04/21/2023 02:30 PM EDT |
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19 New Certified Climate Smart Communities Announced During Earth Week |
Certified Communities Are Models for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Building Local Climate ResilienceNew York State Homes and Community Renewal Joins the Climate Smart Communities ProgramGovernor Hochul announced the latest round of communities to achieve certification as part of New York State's Climate Smart Communities program. The announcement, made during New York's Earth Week celebration, signifies meaningful steps being taken to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change taken by 19 local governments that met the criteria to be recognized as leaders in local climate action. To achieve Climate Smart Community certification, communities accumulate points for planning and implementation actions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve community resilience to the worsening impacts of climate change. Recently, 18 new communities successfully met the criteria to be recognized as leaders at the bronze level, and, importantly, the town of Bedford ascended from the bronze level to silver. The silver level is currently the highest level of achievement available. Capital Region
Central New York
Finger Lakes
Mid-Hudson
Southern Tier
See a full list of actions completed by all certified Climate Smart Communities. Read the Governor's press release. Established in 2009, the interagency Climate Smart Communities program provides guidance and technical support to local governments to take locally-driven climate action. The first step to becoming a Climate Smart Community is to register by pledging to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change. To date, 377 local governments representing more than 9.4 million New Yorkers have adopted the Climate Smart Communities pledge. A certification program was launched in 2014 to document and celebrate the accomplishments of communities taking climate action. The addition of these new communities brings New York's total number of certified Climate Smart Communities to 118 – 10 at the silver level and 108 at the bronze level. Climate Smart Communities Coordinators provide free technical support to municipalities across the state and assist local governments in taking action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change through outreach, planning, education, and capacity building. New York State Homes and Community Renewal Joins Climate Smart Communities ProgramThe Governor also announced that New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) is the newest participant in the interagency Climate Smart Communities effort to encourage and assist local governments in taking action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for the effects of climate change. HCR joins several other state entities in sponsoring the program, including the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Department of Public Service, Department of State, Department of Transportation, Department of Health, and New York Power Authority. Learn more about the Climate Smart Communities program and DEC grant funding opportunities for climate action.
Photo Credit: Mark Sarvary |
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