New York City's PlaNYC 2030 Will Create Thousands of Green-Collar Jobs
In 2007 New York City launched PlaNYC 2030: 127 long-term sustainability initiatives that will expand green collar jobs citywide. PlaNYC's goals range from ensuring that every New Yorker has access to a park within a 10 minute walk to reducing citywide greenhouse gas emissions 30% by 2030. Meeting these goals will create thousands of jobs, particularly in energy efficiency retrofits for existing buildings.
New York City recently launched several long-term sustainability initiatives that will expand green collar jobs citywide. In April 2007, Mayor Bloomberg released PlaNYC 2030: 127 initiatives with 10 major goals. PlaNYC's goals range from ensuring that every New Yorker has access to a park within a 10 minute walk to achieving the cleanest air of any big city in America. Meeting these goals will create opportunities in many green collar fields, including urban forestry, renewable energy, and stormwater management. This fall the City Council's Climate Protection Act codified the goal of reducing citywide greenhouse gas emissions 30% by 2030. Meeting this goal will create thousands of jobs, particularly in energy efficiency retrofits for existing buildings.
The New York City Apollo Alliance, an advisor to the PlaNYC creation process, pushed for a commitment to retrofit municipal buildings as a way to reduce energy use, lower greenhouse gas emissions and create jobs. As a result the City made a 10-year plan to invest almost $1 billion dollars in municipal retrofits and new technologies. Now, the NYC Apollo Alliance is engaging a diverse group of stakeholders to ensure PlaNYC creates good green-collar jobs, accessible to all New Yorkers.
During the fall 2007, Urban Agenda, the convener of the NYC Apollo Alliance, brought over 50 labor, community and workforce development leaders together in a Jobs Working Group to recommend ways PlaNYC and similar efforts can create good jobs. In Spring 2008, Urban Agenda and NYC Apollo will build on their recent Growing Green Collar Jobs: Energy Efficiency report. They will be working with their allies and the City government to create a Green Collar Jobs Taskforce. The Taskforce will develop a proposal for connecting large-scale citywide sustainability efforts with workforce development providers and community groups.
Excerpted from Green-Collar Jobs in America’s Cities by Green for All, the Apollo Alliance, Center for American Progress, and Center on Wisconsin Strategy. Published March 2008
