NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Climate Commissioner and Director Rohit T. Aggarwala released the first Integrated Inventory on Monday. greenhouse gas emissions for the city, which integrates emissions from food production and consumption.

These emissions represent 20% of New York City’s total emissions, the third largest source, behind buildings (34%) and transportation (22%). The inventory, developed by the Mayor’s Office for Climate and Environmental Justice (MOCEJ), includes emissions involved in the production of goods and services that New Yorkers consume, whether the production takes place in New York City. or not.

In response to the new inventory, Mayor Adams and the Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Food Policy (MOFP), Kate MacKenzie, also announced that the city will reduce absolute carbon emissions from food purchases by 33% in all locations. city ​​agencies. by 2030.

“New York City is a world leader when it comes to fighting climate change because we use every menu option in our fight, and that includes changing our menus as well,” Mayor Adams said. “This new emissions report shows us that plant-based foods are not only good for our physical and mental health, but also good for the planet. We have already made great strides in reducing our food emissions by offering plant-based meals in our public hospitals and introducing Plant-Fed Fridays in our public schools. Now we know we have to go further. We hope that we compromise to reduce the food emissions of the city in the agencies by 33% by 2030 and challenge our private sector members to unite them to reduce the food emissions by 25% in the mismo period of time. How we eat impacts everything, and now we’re going to do more to improve everything for the better.”

New York City has been measuring citywide emissions since 2005, but this is the first time the city has included emissions from household consumption. These emissions were modeled by EcoDataLab as part of an ongoing project coordinated by C40 that works with cities to identify urban consumption indicators for data-driven climate measurement and action.

The new inventory shows that 20% of New York City’s greenhouse gas emissions come from household food consumption, primarily meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products. This means New Yorkers can significantly reduce the city’s emissions by eating more low-carbon foods, including fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes. The integrated inventory is available on the MOCEJ website.

“The relationship between what we eat and its effect on climate change and the environment is well known,” said Kizzy Charles-Guzman, executive director of MOCEJ. “Through transparency and a bold policy to reduce food-related emissions, New York is helping its people and the world understand the power behavior change can have in achieving our climate goals.”

This new emissions inventory reinforces New York City’s ongoing commitment to measuring its emissions and innovating to reduce its contribution to climate change, including through the food it buys.

In particular, public hospitals and New York City schools are leading the way. By serving plant-based meals as a default option and improving the food experience for patients, NYC Health + Hospitals is on track to serve 850,000 plant-based meals this year, reducing its carbon emissions d by 36% in February 2023 while reducing the public health burden of diet-related disease.

The city has also introduced Plant-Powered Fridays in their public schools last year, highlighting the central role that healthy, low-carbon options should play on people’s plates and inspiring future generations to lead the way in creating a more just and sustainable food system .

Additionally, Mayor Adams on Monday launched the Plant-based carbon challengeurging leaders in the private, institutional and non-profit sectors to reduce their food-based emissions by 25% by 2030. MOFP, in partnership with Coolfood and Greener by Default companies, will help participants measure and reduce the carbon footprint of your existing hiring practices.

“Climate change has reached a critical inflection point that affects us all, especially communities of color who are most susceptible to its impact,” said U.S. Representative Adriano Espaillat. “New York City’s annual Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Inventory Report helps New York City identify our largest emitting areas and contributing factors, and I commend Mayor Adams and Commissioner Aggarwala for their continued response to reaffirm our commitment to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. footprint and its overall impact for residents and our future. This reduction in emissions from food is a critical first step in our overall approach to creating the equitable green future that all New Yorkers deserve.”

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