Can NY-led Dems still lead on climate?

Diverging lame-duck gestures from local climate Dems, giving feedback to state power (over power), and the Aussie boy's guide to Steve Donziger vs. Chevron

Dec 03, 2024

THE BIG PICTURE

For better or for worse, the city and state still have a grip on the Democratic Party heading into the next Trump administration:

Soon-to-be Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer — who months ago promised sweeping climate action if the Dems won — has now prioritized district judge appointments that could lead to a MAGA appellate judge over New York and New Jersey.
Soon-to-be House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries — someone with ambiguous climate politics — hung out with Liz Cheney last week to promote his new book on C-SPAN…even after post-election polls proved she turned off independent voters in swing states.
House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerry Nadler — who recently encouraged Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign the Climate Change Superfund Act — is being challenged for his position by fellow Dem. Rep Jamie Raskin.
Gov. Hochul, in turn, faces extra Trump-related challenges to the state’s increasingly unreachable climate goals.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams has downplayed Trump’s anti-climate stance while proclaiming himself a “Practical Progressive”.

Meanwhile, a newer generation of NY Dems have signalled different visions of what to do now:

NYLCV’s perfect-scoring State Sen. James Skoufis is running for DNC chair.
Sen. Jabari Brisport appeared at Climate Defiance’s NYC event last night — whose event description also noted the # of disproportionate powerbrokers living in NYC
Manhattan-based State Sen. Liz Krueger — and Climate Change Superfund Act sponsor — suggested we secede to Canada.

On the whole, the Democrats’ down-ballot victories still give the party leverage to maintain a parallel, pro-decarbonization climate policy in lockstep with the rest of the world.

…that is, if the lobbyists, megadonors, and “the party is too woke”, blame-gaming, Harris campaign cash-grifting Beltway consultants who got us here don’t get in the way (again).

Thank you for reading New York On Earth. This post is public so feel free to share it.

🌦️ Weather / Climate

Snow in NYC this week? More like a wintry mix, meteorologists say.

WATCH: The Farmer's Almanac vs Climate Prediction Center: which was more accurate for NY weather?

🗽City

Broadway between 39th and 40th to become two mini-bike/pedestrian plazas

🤡Election 2025

NY Post: After voters soundly rejected it — by electing Trump — what’s next for the radical climate agenda?

(op-ed written by Koch-funded Power The Future)

⚡Energy

New York has big plans for clean energy projects. Advocates say it's not nearly enough.

TotalEnergies halts planned New York offshore wind farm, cites Trump win as reason

Clean Path $11B transmission + generation plan canceled in NY (more here)

NYPD drone helps nab two Queens teen subway surfers — one of whom had MTA train keys

City once again urged to reinstate ferry link between Staten Island and Brooklyn

Nearly half of NYC's aspiring drivers failed their DMV road tests this year

🚗Congestion Pricing

New Jersey politicians say they'll fight resurrected congestion pricing in NYC

🧪Science / Health / Education

WATCH: New York Academy of Medicine on how climate change impacts health

🌳Environment / Parks

Drought presents dire threat to NYC's street trees, arborists say

WATCH: Whale swims in East River in New York City

🥬 Food / Agriculture

Pawpaws, beach plums and more: These native fruits could be on the menu as weather gets more extreme

♻️ Waste / Recycling / Circular Economy

New York puts tons of bagged trash on the curb daily. The city has a plan to contain the mess

Cars still get in the way of containerized trash pickup

🏢 Infrastructure / Architecture / Housing

In parts of New York City, a vexing mix of stormwater and sewage have made flooding the ‘new normal’

New Jersey is using buyouts and barriers to battle flooding

💲Economics / Funding / Wall Street

What Trump’s energy department has in store for investors

Learn something new? Share New York On Earth with a friend!

EVENTS THIS WEEK

Tuesday (12/3)

⚙️NY Climate Tech: Holiday HH and 2025 Chats at RSVP for address

✊Queens Hour of Action at Our House

🎨Jonathan Keller presents “No Art On A Dead Planet” as part of Ceres 2024 Exposure at Ceres Gallery (Through 12/7, reception on 12/4)

Wednesday (12/4)

✊🍻Planet Over Profit SoHo Soirée with Steven Dozinger at RSVP for location

⚙️MCJ New York: Holiday Happy Hour at RSVP for Address

🍻Brooklyn Hour of Action at Threes Brewing Gowanus

Thursday (12/5)

📚Former Nylon editor-in-chief Gabrielle Korn discusses her new climate fiction novel The Shutouts with Haley Jakobson at The Strand

🎭 New Works Festival: The Undercity at Culture Lab LIC at The Plaxall Gallery (Through 12/8)

🎨Art opening for BURNING WORLD at Property Is Theft

🧘🏽‍♀️Climate activist-led yoga and fundraiser at (and for) Sixth Street Community Center

🎲Climate Fresk at Eat Offbeat (Chelsea Market)

Friday (12/6)

🏗️Designing Climate Corridors: Re-envisioning Urban Arterials in New York City at AIA New York Center for Architecture

📽️YINTAH || NYC Documentary Premiere with Planet Over Profit at Tishman Auditorium at The New School

💡FMP Presents: Introduction to Backcasting at Impact Hub

📷Luck is a State of Mind: Creating Images with Impact with Deanne Fitzmaurice at Soho Photo Gallery

Saturday (12/7)

💡Abundance Politics & NYC - Fireside Chat & Demo Night at 111 Conselyea St.

🎁Shop for responsible, locally-sourced, and hand-made wares at Not-a-Normal Holiday Market NYC at 101 7th Ave

🎨7 pm Gallery talk with 350Brooklyn member and artist Ellen Driscoll for closing of Plasticulture: The Rise of Sustainable Practices with Polymers at SVA Chelsea Gallery

🧪Intro to Bioplastics at Genspace

🧘🏽‍♀️Climate Cafe + Yoga at Kula Yoga Studio

Sunday (12/8)

💲Impact Investing: How do I actually vote with my dollar? at The Greats of Craft LIC

🎭ClimART Cafe & Climate Storytelling 2075 at Queens Council On the Arts

Monday (12/9)

⚙️Climate Tech Demo Night - AWS, NYU, Streetlife Ventures at RSVP for Address

🧪DeSciNYC: the science of waterbears at RSVP for address

Ongoing

💡Energies at Swiss Institute (through January 5, 2025)

💦🎨Water Stories at BioBat Art Space/Brooklyn Army Terminal (through May 3, 2025)

TAKE ACTION

The New York State Energy Planning Board is updating its 2020 plan [PDF] to account for building decarbonization goals.

Click here to write a letter to the Board with talking point prompts (courtesy of Renewable Heat Now) or submit a public comment directly befor December 16th.

You also have until December 8th to leave a comment with the New York Power Authority to build 15GW of renewable power.

WATCH

Cheeky Australian political YouTubers Boy Boy cover Chevron’s overlooked devastation in Ecuador — and their legal smear campaign against crusading environmental lawyer Steven Donziger, who currently resides in NY and will be at Planet Over Profit’s gala tomorrow night.

LISTEN

WNYC’S The Brian Lehrer Show interviews the Climate Exchange CEO Stephen Hammer on how Trump’s first term galvanized the climate movement, among other ranging topics.

WAER’s Deeper Shade of Green discusses everything you need to know about the state’s offshore wind power goals and future economy.

CHECK IT OUT

While some activists may consider this greenwashing, National Grid put out a handy list of 10 myths about climate change.

Got any tips? Contact newyorkonearth@proton.me.

New York On Earth