The GreenNY Council today released the 12th annual Greening New York State report documenting progress toward meeting the requirements in Executive Order 22, "Leading by Example: Directing State Agencies to Adopt a Sustainability and Decarbonization Program," signed by Governor Kathy Hochul in September 2022. The Executive Order directs New York State agencies and authorities to lead by example in achieving the State’s sustainability goals.
The report highlights actions New York State entities are taking to reduce energy use and improve energy efficiency, decrease waste generation, increase the purchasing of green products and services, and other related initiatives.
Sustainability highlights during fiscal year 2022-23 in the report include:
- 6.88 trillion BTUs of energy savings logged through the BuildSmart 2025 program;
- 93 percent overall recycling rate, with approximately 1.9 million tons of waste recycled or composted, including 1.8 million tons of clean construction and demolition debris;
- 17 new or updated GreenNY purchasing specifications approved; and
- $227 million spent on green products and services that decrease energy use, decrease the use of toxic substances, and accelerate the market shift towards more sustainable products.
Through the Executive Order, the GreenNY Council supports New York State sustainability efforts. The Council, co-chaired by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), New York Power Authority (NYPA), Office of General Services (OGS), Division of Budget (DOB), and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), led the creation of the report and collected data from the 75 agencies and authorities covered under the Executive Order.
DEC Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said, “Directed by Governor Hochul and in coordination with our agency partners, New York State government continues to lead by example to accelerate the transition to a greener, more sustainable future. I commend the Green NY Council for the significant progress achieved on implementing the Governor’s Executive Order this year as the Council remains focused on continuing to leverage the economic power of sustainability and climate actions to improve the lives of all New Yorkers.”
NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “Governor Hochul’s executive action has set the pace for New York State agencies and authorities to embrace green practices and further weave them into our daily work. The energy savings and waste reduction reflected in the most recent Greening New York State report shows the significant progress we've made collectively leading by example and creates a strong foundation for us to build upon as we move toward a cleaner, greener future.”
OGS Commissioner Jeanette Moy said, “As a co-lead of the GreenNY Council, the Office of General Services is proud to advance Governor Hochul’s goal to make New York State operations more sustainable and resilient to the effects of climate change. Together with our GreenNY partners, we’re making it easier to buy green products, charge electric vehicles, and decrease embodied carbon in our construction materials. From decarbonizing our buildings to converting our entire fleet to zero-emission vehicles, we are helping New York State lead by example.”
NYPA President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll said, “The 12th Greening New York State report makes it clear just how much has been accomplished within State government to lower greenhouse gas emissions and reduce environmental impacts. To achieve Governor Hochul’s targets under Executive Order 22, an extensive list of green initiatives ranging from procurement and building construction to habitat protection and electrifying fleets are being pursued to make all of New York stronger and more sustainable.”
New York State Budget Director Blake G. Washington said, “Governor Hochul’s leadership in climate stewardship has resulted in smart investments in sustainability and the establishment of unique strategies to reduce negative impacts to our environment. These efforts have shown economically and environmentally sound initiatives can coexist, while also contributing to a better future for all New Yorkers.”
Supporting Agencies to Meet Sustainability Goals
The GreenNY Council is taking steps to leverage resources, create guidance, streamline sustainability reporting, update green procurement specifications, and make it easier for New York State agencies and authorities to achieve the State’s ambitious climate and sustainability goals. Additional information, including progress reports and resources on energy efficiency, reducing emissions and waste, reuse, recycling, composting, green cleaning, conserving natural resources, and general sustainable operations and purchasing is available on the GreenNY Council website.
New York State's Nation-Leading Climate Plan
New York State's climate agenda calls for an orderly and just transition that creates family-sustaining jobs, continues to foster a green economy across all sectors and ensures that at least 35 percent, with a goal of 40 percent, of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities. New York is advancing a suite of efforts – including the New York Cap-and-Invest program (NYCI) and other complementary policies – to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2030 and 85 percent by 2050 from 1990 levels. New York is also on a path toward a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030 and economy-wide carbon neutrality by mid-century. A cornerstone of this transition is New York's unprecedented clean energy investments, including more than $28 billion in 61 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the State, $6.8 billion to reduce building emissions, $3.3 billion to scale up solar, nearly $3 billion for clean transportation initiatives and over $2 billion in NY Green Bank commitments.
These and other investments are supporting more than 170,000 jobs in New York’s clean energy sector as of 2022 and over 3,000-percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, New York also adopted zero-emission vehicle regulations, including requiring all new passenger cars and light-duty trucks sold in the State be zero-emission by 2035. Partnerships are continuing to advance New York’s climate action with more than 400 registered and more than 150 certified Climate Smart Communities, over 500 Clean Energy Communities, and the State’s largest community air monitoring initiative in 10 disadvantaged communities across the State to help target air pollution and combat climate change, and the largest community air monitoring initiative ever undertaken in New York to help target air pollution and combat climate change in 10 disadvantaged communities across the State.
