Click the image above to download (.pdf) the report.New York City has made leaps and bounds toward sustainability thanks to PlaNYC, but the administration should prioritize legislation and broaden its efforts, our report notes.

"Building a Greener Future: A Progress Report on New York City's Sustainability Initiatives," also serves as a roadmap to expand the city's environmental efforts beyond PlaNYC, to embrace the creation of green-collar jobs and tackle the mounting problems caused by solid waste. The report was funded by the New York Community Trust, the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation and the Scherman Foundation.

"PlaNYC has made New York City a global leader in environmental sustainability but there is no guarantee that future city leaders will continue that trend," said Marcia Bystryn, NYLCVEF's executive director. "That's why it is critical that the Bloomberg administration and the City Council take action in the coming months to ensure that we don't reverse the progress we've made."

Among the report's conclusions:

• Despite the Legislature's rejection of congestion pricing, the city can still take steps to reduce vehicle-related carbon emissions by creating a variable-price parking program to increase the rate for street parking in the Manhattan Central Business District during working hours.
• The city could help meet its greenhouse gas reduction goals by requiring that museums, libraries and cultural organizations funded by the city adopt energy conservation measures.
• New York City could buffer the effects of an economic downturn by encouraging "clean-tech" industries and training workers in sustainable technologies and materials.

The report is available for download (.pdf) on NYLCVEF's Web site at www.nylcvef.org. Electronic and print copies can also be obtained at (212) 361-6350 ext. 205 or sdelekta@nylcv.org.

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Established in 1993, the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund (NYLCVEF) educates and engages New Yorkers about environmental issues and the environmental decision-making process at the local, regional and state levels.