How New York plans to become the most sustainable city on the planet in 2050
More than a decade ago we did not have at our disposal the exhaustive amount of reports that confirm us the most feared , what some still dare to deny or deny.
The human behavior of the last centuries and in particular of the most recent decades, reveals severe and alarming consequences for the future of humanity. Climate change is real, it is here and it has reached us.
Last year all records have been broken, and it is with some regret that I mention that they are not records of which we can be proud. Quite the contrary. 2018 was the fourth consecutive warmest year in recent centuries, prior to that 2015, 2016 and 2017 stand out. Apart from the rising global temperature, there are a series of events that show us that climate change grows by leaps and bounds.
Pakistan recorded an unprecedented temperature of 50.2ºC, **United States experienced one of the worst rainy seasons in history**, not seen since 1973 and 1983. Hurricanes Florence and Michael did not go unnoticed, causing severe damage to North and South Carolina , the latest being the strongest since Andrew in 1992.
Damage from Hurricane Florence in North Carolina
Hawaii was also impacted by heavy rains and Europe recorded its second warmest year , with countries like France, Italy, Croatia and Greece facing extreme temperatures.
In 2050, the panorama in New York would be shocking . The city would become an extremely hot place, as the temperature is expected to rise 5.7 degrees Fahrenheit, and the annual percentage of rainfall reaches 11% higher than today, which would put places like Coney Island, the Rockaway Peninsula, the east from Harlem and Staten Island.
The rising level of the oceans and the rains** would directly affect people living in areas near the coasts**, where they would be flooded up to twice a day.
Even with a not at all encouraging horizon, there are initiatives that fill us with hope and lead us to the future that we truly hope for the planet. New York and its innovative spirit present us with the strategy called OneNYC 2050: the plan to become the city of the future in just three decades.
New York Unveils Groundbreaking OneNYC 2050 Strategy
The State is on alert, it has been reacting for years and knows that it needs to prepare. New York leaders recognize that there is no alternative. OneNYC 2050 is the strategy of the American city to combat the challenges of the present and of the years to come.
MEASURES TO BE TAKEN
To achieve this, they will transform the way they consume energy, the use of transport and buildings, investing in infrastructure to protect citizens from heat waves and floods.
In 2050, nine million people will live in New York, plus a million who will come daily to work and for tourism. The city's buildings, transport and economy will be powered by 100% renewable energy , saying goodbye definitively to fossil fuels. Proving that this is the main contributor to global warming.
Energy efficiency opportunities will be maximized in all buildings, and heating and hot water systems will be replaced with efficient ones. The greatest revolution, without a doubt, will be that of zero carbon . According to the State, this transformation will create new jobs and job opportunities for New Yorkers, requiring innovative, effective and low-cost solutions.
The city's economy will be powered by 100% renewable energy
The plan to combat climate change leaves no aspect to chance, from buildings, streets, transport, plastic, everything is covered. Solar panels will be installed on the roofs of buildings , wind energy will be used, the use of bicycles, walks, and public transport will be promoted while ensuring that the vehicles that still work do it cleanly.
They will promote that Mondays meat is not eaten in public schools , which will reduce the purchase of this food by 50%. It is an important initiative since it is one of the most polluting elements. The ecological footprint that distills into the environment is powerfully high and 25 times more dangerous than carbon dioxide.
In 2019, 27% of the electricity uses clean energy , the strategy proposes to reach a 100% by 2040 , while the greenhouse gas removal reached 17% two years ago, for the 2050 will also be 100%.
Waste is also an essential part of the plan, it will have a special handling of organic and will use them for the production of renewable energy.
The State will encourage more use of bicycles and clean transportation
Every year the city discards 200,000 tons of textiles , which ends up meaning a high cost for the environment. Through education programs to raise public awareness and requiring manufacturers to use recycled material in the production of new designs, they will secure a leading role in this area. The objective is to achieve New York is a center of excellence for sustainable fashion.
In addition to aspiring to become the site of the future, New York includes in its strategy eight central objectives and thirty initiatives. They want to get one vibrant democracy , a inclusive economy prosperous neighborhoods, Healthy life, equity and excellence in education , a tolerable climate, efficient mobility and modern infrastructure.
According to a report published in 2018 by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), we have a maximum of up to 12 years to keep the global temperature below 1.5 degrees Celsius. Otherwise, global warming will be catastrophic and irreversible for the world population.
In March of this year the **United Nations Organization (UN)** published a report on the level of the oceans, and put in check the speed with which it is growing.
It was confirmed that in 2018 the increase in the level of the ocean was 3.7 millimeters
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) mentioned that the concentration of carbon dioxide is at levels never recorded, showing an **increase in the ocean level of 3.7 millimeters in 2018**, raising the average level of the last three decades .
The design of the plan may seem like a utopia, it makes us wonder how one of the most populated cities will become the queen mother of sustainability? For now, New York aspires to become the city of the future , recognizing that climate change is affecting the way we live and our health , the increase in global temperature and the level of the oceans.
We hope that the goals are achieved, governments commit and populations can coexist responsibly with the riches that nature offers us.
effort and commitment level that we are willing to offer in the years to come, and especially in the months to come, will define our path and the fate of future generations.
As utopian as it may seem, the Big Apple has the most ambitious plan yet