Module 7 - Climate Change Initiatives in Cities

        Climate change is one of the biggest issues facing the world today. While some national governments have taken initiative and instituted policies to try to curb the effects of climate change, others have not done much and the responsibility has trickled down to individual cities. New York City is one of those cities that has tried to work against climate change. 

Average Monthly Temperature Predictions with High Emissions, April 2090-2099 (Projections).

New York City recently passed a ban on gas-powered appliances in all new buildings, including heaters, stoves, and water boilers (Barnard, 2021). This is a huge step for the city to take, as there are many residents that live in apartment buildings or condominiums, and this will help reduce their carbon footprint. These new regulations are expected to take effect in December 2023 for all buildings that are below seven stories, and by 2027 for all taller buildings (Barnard, 2021). While this legislation still has awhile before it will take effect, New York City is taking the necessary steps to begin to combat climate change in their city. This is definitely an example of bottom-up politics, as the city has taken this initiative first, not the state or country, as opposed to top-down politics, where the national government would have issued legislation that would then trickle into states and cities/localities. This makes New York City one of the leaders of addressing climate change in the U.S., and I am sure that they will continue to do so.


Supporters of the ban, demonstrating outside of City Hall (Barnard, 2021)

Reference:

Barnard, A. (2021, December 15). N.Y.C.’s gas ban takes fight against climate change to the                                kitchen. The New York Times. Retrieved April 28, 2022, from                                                                          https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/15/nyregion/nyc-gas-stove-heat-ban.html?                                              searchResultPosition=5

Projections - Average mean temperature, high emissions (n.d.). Climate.gov. Retrieved April 28, 2022, 
     from https://www.climate.gov/maps-data/data-snapshots/data-source/projections-average-mean-                temperature-high-emissions

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