Comptroller Publishes New Air, Water, Land Quality Maps on NYC Climate Dashboard
New York, NY— Three weeks after smoke enveloped the city causing an air quality emergency, the New York City Comptroller’s Office published new air, water, and land quality maps on its NYC climate dashboard.
Launched in April 2022, the dashboard tracks the City’s progress toward meeting its goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050 with key metrics on the City’s energy transition, emissions, and resiliency infrastructure. New features added track the City’s air, water, land quality levels for more in-depth analysis of environmental justice impacts.
“Orange skies across New York City highlighted the urgency of preparing our city to mitigate the harm of future climate disasters,” said New York City Comptroller Brad Lander. “Our skies may be clear again, but air quality remains a critical health concern for many New Yorkers. The maps we added to the dashboard today show that the hazards of polluted air, water, and land are not equally distributed: low-income communities of color already experience greater health and safety impacts of environmental injustice.”
The NYC Climate Dashboard is a tool for educators, journalists, advocates, and every day New Yorkers to hold the City accountable to its climate goals to mitigate the threats of climate crisis, advance a just transition to renewable energy and a green economy, and build a city that is to withstand rising seas and temperatures. The Comptroller’s office updated the dashboard with more recent data in April and new features were added on emissions financed by New York City pension funds and their progress towards net zero emissions goals.
“The new features provide a barometer on the quality of our air, water, and land here in the five boroughs,” said Louise Yeung, Chief Climate Officer for the New York City Comptroller. “Our City must be clear-eyed about ongoing environmental harms to build a more just and resilient New York City in the face of more widespread wildfires and storms.”
View the NYC Climate Dashboard here.
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