Res 0967-2025

Whereas, Since the 1800s, human activities have been the major driver of climate change, largely due to the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas; and Whereas, These fossil fuels create greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including carbon dioxide and methane, which trap the sun's heat and raise temperatures on Earth; and Whereas, According to the United Nations (UN), the average temperature of the Earth's surface is now about 1.2 Degree Celsius warmer than it was in the late 1800s and is warmer than at any time in the last 100,000 years; and Whereas, The impacts of climate change include, among other things, intense droughts, water scarcity, severe fires, rising sea levels, flooding, melting polar ice, catastrophic storms and declining biodiversity, which in turn affects our health, ability to grow food, housing, safety and work, according to the UN; and Whereas, The UN notes that energy, industry, transport, buildings, agriculture and land use are among the major sectors causing high GHG emissions; and Whereas, In New York State (NYS) and New York City (NYC), the transportation sector is one of the largest sources of GHG emissions, with many of the emissions coming from motorized passenger vehicles that utilize gasoline and diesel; and Whereas, According to the NYC Climate Dashboard published by the NYC Comptroller, transportation is the second largest source of NYC's GHG emissions, with 12.59 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emitted in NYC due to this sector in 2023; and Whereas, NYS', including NYC, transportation economy largely relies on petroleum-based fuels, thus, there lacks low-emission solutions to ensure that there is a sustainable future for the State and City; and Whereas, In order to reduce NYS' reliance on a single transportation fuel that increases the state's GHG emissions, S.1343A, sponsored by NYS Senator Kevin S. Parker, and A.472A, sponsored by NYS Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, were introduced in the NYS Senate and Assembly, respectively; and Whereas, S.1343A/A.472A would require the development of a clean fuel standard in NYS to reduce GHG emissions in the transportation sector to achieve the goals set forth in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which requires NYS to reduce economy-wide GHG emissions by 40% by 2030, and no less than 85% by 2050 from 1990 levels; and Whereas, A clean fuel standard would be a means of reducing GHG emissions by transitioning to cleaner fuels that could be utilized within the sector; and Whereas, S.1343A/A.472A would align with NYC's goal to reduce GHG emissions by 80% by 2050, and would provide positive social, economic, health and environmental impacts to New Yorkers; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon New York State Legislature to pass, and the New York State Governor to sign, S.1343A/A.472A, which establishes the clean fuel standard of 2025. KK LS 19507 5/5/25