Jersey City Releases Climate and Energy Action Plan

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Jersey City released its first Climate and Energy Action Plan on Tuesday. The 103-page plan offers steps the city can take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by advancing projects that not only improve residents’ quality of life but also save energy and money.

The Jersey City Climate and Energy Action Plan will go before the City Council at the next scheduled meeting on Thursday. The plan consists of over 50 individual actions for reducing the city's carbon footprint, including a new Community Solar Program specifically for renters and low-income homeowners, energy and emission requirements for new and municipal buildings citywide, and provides the strategic framework for other wide-ranging efforts to decrease the city’s environmental impacts.

Specifically, the plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is broken down to five bullet points:

• Reduce energy usage and carbon emissions in new and existing homes, multi-family buildings, commercial, and industrial buildings.
• Improve access to clean and/or renewable energy sources in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings.
• Demonstrate leadership in energy efficiency and green building through facilities, equipment, and operations of Jersey City public agencies.
• Decrease total per-capita vehicle miles traveled (VMT) through urban infrastructure and development choices, including by pursuing transit-oriented and mixed use development that promotes active transportation options and reduces overall carbon emissions.
• Adopt a holistic waste-management strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from waste produced by municipal operations and the community, including through reuse and
  reduction programs and increasing recycling rates across the city.

The plan was put together over 16 months and involved over 200 community members.

“This Action Plan expands upon our efforts in the fight to protect our environment with actionable steps to mitigate climate change, increase resiliency, invest in a green economy, and ensure equity,” said Mayor Steven Fulop. “The consequences of climate change disproportionately impact minority and low-income communities, and so it is especially important for Jersey City to continue our aggressive and progressive efforts by incorporating community feedback to address our environment’s worst health offenders.”

The Fulop Administration committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80-percent by the year 2050.

“With this plan, we brought in many voices to create a clear course of action to achieve our climate and sustainability goals. The result is a community-focused Climate and Energy Action Plan that will lead to measurable results,” said Kate Lawrence, Director of the Office of Sustainability.

The plan highlighted that Jersey City, being a bi-coastal city, is uniquely positioned to be vulnerable to future sea level rise and coastal storms. The plan also recognizes that climate change affects poorer and minority communities at a disproportionate level and set "climate equity objectives:"

1. Improve energy security and affordable access to clean energy while minimizing displacement.

2. Increase access to active transportation, such as walking and bicycling, and public transit options that are affordable and low or zeroemission.

3. Expand and improve access to parks and public green spaces.

4. Reduce the risks and impacts of air pollution, flooding, and extreme heat.

View the Climate and Energy Action Plan here.