Creation of a Department of Sustainability and Climate Change and Repealing - Fall

Team Members: Nuvodita Singh, Daniella Simari, Elena Belletti, Urko Diez-Webster, Milo McBride, Jenisha Shrestha, Corissa Steiner, Baihe Wang, Jiaqi Wang, Yuanyuan Wang

New York City faces growing climate risks, including sea-level rise, extreme heat, and flooding, requiring stronger institutional capacity to coordinate mitigation and adaptation efforts. The proposed legislation establishes a permanent Department of Sustainability and Climate Change to replace the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, creating a centralized authority responsible for coordinating citywide climate action. The Department would integrate sustainability into municipal operations, improve coordination across agencies, and strengthen accountability for climate goals. This institutional shift reflects the need for a more robust governance structure capable of addressing increasingly complex climate challenges.

The proposed organizational structure includes specialized teams focused on mitigation, adaptation, communications, and performance monitoring, supported by interagency working groups to integrate sustainability across city operations. Budget projections anticipate significant expansion in staffing and resources to support implementation, including investment in monitoring systems and public engagement. Performance metrics focus on emissions reduction, resilience improvements, and program effectiveness. By institutionalizing sustainability within city government, the Department strengthens New York City’s capacity to respond to climate risks and implement coordinated, long-term environmental policy.

Learn more about the MPA-ESP Workshop in Applied Earth Systems Management.