New York authorities have announced the release of a new Green Economy Action plan, which includes almost US $1bn of investments into climate-focused construction and infrastructure projects. The plan was announced by New York City Mayor Eric Adams, along with New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball
Billed as a ‘first-of-its-kind’ scheme, the plan serves as a roadmap for New York City’s (NYC) fight against climate change and its goal of a greener economy. It includes the creation of a ‘Climate Innovation Hub’ at the Brooklyn Army Terminal, which is a proposed 112,000sqft (10,405m2) building for ‘business development, incubation, and research commercialisation’.
“The Green Economy Action Plan delivers the first forecasting of New York City’s green economy and job growth through 2040. New York City’s green economy will host nearly 400,000 jobs by 2040 – up from 133,000 today. The plan identifies key occupations that are essential to growing the green economy and highlights 21 occupations that provide pathways to economic mobility, many of which do not require higher education degrees,” stated the NYCEDC.
According to NYCEDC, the hub will be able to house 150 start-ups over a 10-year period with goals of building and prototyping products, providing business support, and carrying out product research and development. Mayor Adams said the city plans to invest up to $100mn in the Climate Innovation Hub. Across three campuses, the initiative aims to support 5,000 new and permanent jobs, while educating and training 2,100 New Yorkers across various industries.
“This work will build on a strong foundation of green economy projects such as the 400,000-square-foot New York Climate Exchange, an academic and research consortium anchored by Stony Brook University on Governors Island, and the development of five-million-square-feet of net-zero manufacturing space at the Brooklyn Navy Yard,” the NYCEDC added.
Through a ‘Request for Proposal’ which NYCEDC said would be released on 18 March, the organisation will seek an operator for its new Climate Innovation Hub at the Brooklyn Army Terminal.
