Battery Park City could become one of the nation’s biggest
sustainable neighborhoods under a new plan to go green.
The Battery Park City Authority today launched the Battery
Park City Sustainability Plan, which outlines strategies, goals, and specific
actions to achieve progressive sustainability targets over the next decade, and
lays the groundwork for continued sustainability action after 2030.
Among the largest neighborhood-scale sustainability plans in
the United States, the BPC Sustainability Plan was developed in partnership
with international sustainability consultancy Buro Happold, and responds to
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s charge to make New York State carbon neutral by
2050.
“We can’t take Battery Park City’s green legacy for granted. Even in the midst of present challenges, it’s imperative that we strengthen our commitment to greater environmental responsibility – the future depends on it,” said BPCA President and CEO B.J. Jones.
“To that end, we’ve developed this neighborhood plan with
energy, waste, water, and site management strategies to help advance our
efforts and illustrate to others how Governor Cuomo’s ambitious vision for
carbon neutrality can be achieved. This was a true team effort and my thanks
goes to the Buro Happold team, our Board members, my colleagues, agency
partners, and the Battery Park City community.”
Nearly 500 people participated in the development of this
Sustainability Plan, with public roundtables, pop-ups at public events and in
BPCA’s offices, and an online survey. This approach solicited ideas from the
public and from BPCA staff for inclusion in this Plan – more than one-third of
the Plan Sub-Actions came directly from these engagements – as well as helped
BPCA identify where there is opportunity to increase awareness, seek
collaborations, and facilitate programs to promote sustainability.
The Battery Park City
Carbon Neutral Working Group, comprised of content experts in the sustainable
energy field, includes representatives from the New York Power Authority, New
York State Energy Research & Development Authority, Con Ed, Department of
Environmental Conservation, and New York City Mayor’s Office of Sustainability.
The plans include a host of steps that could help the
neighborhood achieve its goals, including retrofitting buildings energy
infrastructure, upgrading waste disposal and developing electric vehicle
infrastructure.
New York State has set ambitious targets to reduce its
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 40% by 2030, and 80% by 2050, from 1990
levels.
The State’s latest sustainability effort, the Green New
Deal, accelerates the state’s action by aiming to achieve 70% renewable energy
by 2030 and 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040.
By aiming for net
zero carbon by 2050, Battery Park City is aligning itself with global leaders
and committing to prioritize climate action.
“The announcement of this ambitious green initiative for Battery Park City reflects the importance of addressing sustainability at a district-wide scale,” says Buro Happold principal Robert Okpala.
“We’re excited to work with the Battery Park City Authority to deliver this far-reaching and influential plan to deliver integrated sustainable solutions to the residents and a wide range of stakeholders in Battery Park City. We believe it will inspire other neighborhoods across the United States and the world to accelerate their action against climate change.”
“World leaders will soon meet to set new global targets
to protect nature under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity,”
said Angie Fyfe, Executive Director ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability
USA.
“Congratulations to Battery Park City, a near neighbor to
the UN headquarters, for awakening us to the richness of the area’s
biodiversity and its contribution to our wellbeing. The Battery Park City Sustainability Plans
and Green Guidelines remind us that if we care for nature, it will care for
us.”
