Dive Brief:
- New York City yesterday released a Green Economy Action Plan to grow industries and jobs that help the city combat climate change.
- The 124-page document projects that the city’s “green economy” will employ about 400,000 people by 2040, up from 133,000 today. The plan identifies 21 focus occupations critical to sustainable growth, including plumbers, facilities managers, engineers, business sustainability specialists and construction managers.
- The document also outlines programs to help climate-related startups grow and to train local workers for green jobs. “Environmental justice and workforce champions know that we now have to do the hard work of making these job opportunities real for everyday New Yorkers,” said Elijah Hutchinson, executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice, in a press release.
Dive Insight:
U.S. communities need lots of workers to accomplish their goals to transition off fossil fuels and implement climate resilience projects. Existing industries like the construction sector face pressure to evolve to meet the needs of a net-zero future, while new companies are popping up to meet emerging climate technology needs.
New York City’s green economy plan is the city’s latest signal that it’s hungry to put itself at the center of such growth.
It also marks the first time the city has put pen to paper on an official definition of the green economy, a term which lacks a consistent global definition. The city defines the green economy as “the set of activities that directly and intentionally contribute to achieving our climate goals, specifically those that have gained traction since the turn of the century.” The definition will allow New York City to track progress toward its goals and adjust interventions over time, the plan says.
According to yesterday’s news release, critical to the green economy plan is a “climate innovation hub” planned for a large warehouse complex known as the Brooklyn Army Terminal. To be bolstered by up to $100 million from the NYC Economic Development Corp., this hub will accelerate commercialization pathways for climate tech startups and other green economy-related businesses. It will serve 150 startups over 10 years, the city said.
City agencies and private partners will also team up to establish facilities with “green-collar” job training programs in each of New York City’s five boroughs, the plan states. The first pilot site will focus on green building and construction, where the city expects to train more than 100 people annually for the first two years.
