Office of Climate Change

Developing a Portfolio of Solutions

The New York State Office of Climate Change was created to lead the development, in concert with other DEC programs and New York State agencies, of programs and policies that mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and help New York communities and individuals adapt when changes in our climate cannot be avoided.

The office has two Bureaus: Climate Science and Technology, and Climate Programs and Partnerships. The Climate Science and Technology Bureau uses sound science, engineering and economic principles to design solutions that will help stabilize atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations at acceptable levels . The bureau also supports the development of climate impact analyses to help New York respond to the impacts of climate change. The Climate Programs and Partnerships Bureau works to inform, assist and empower state agencies, local governments, NGOs, institutions, businesses and individuals as they reduce carbon emissions and adapt to unavoidable impacts.

The Office aims to ensure that New York develops the full suite of responses needed for significant emission reductions and for successful adaptation to changing temperatures, sea levels, precipitation and other climate factors. These responses include:

Mitigation programs to reduce GHG emissions
Emissions inventory and assessment
Evaluations of the feasibility and benefits of alternatives to fossil-fuel technology and of other mitigation and adaptation approaches
Partnerships for shared solutions that save money for governments, institutions, businesses and individuals
Information about expected climate change impacts, to help communities, organizations and individuals determine what local adaptations will be needed

Mitigation

New York's first mitigation program specifically focused on carbon dioxide (CO₂, the principal greenhouse gas) is already underway: the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a ten-state program under which power sector CO₂ emissions are reduced through cap and trade with allowances purchased in an auction. The Office of Climate Change is deeply involved in making this unprecedented program a reality - working on power plant CO₂ controls, reviewing applications for offsets, developing auctions for CO₂ allowances.

Traditional rulemaking is another important tool for mitigating GHG emissions. The Office is working on regulatory performance standards for new stationary sources that will have large, long-term CO₂ emissions, including electric power plants, very large boilers, and gasification systems.

Emissions Inventory

The outlines of the state's GHG emissions inventory are widely known: the bulk of these gases are generated in roughly equal parts by transportation, space heating/cooling for buildings, and electric power production. To cost-effectively mitigate GHG emissions, however, more detailed emissions assessments are needed. The Office is promoting voluntary emissions reporting by New York facilities, through a national nonprofit group, The Climate Registry. New York serves on the Board of Directors of The Climate Registry, along with representatives from thirty-eight other US states, eight Canadian provinces, six Mexican states, three native tribes and the District of Columbia. The Climate Registry recently released its protocol for emissions reporting, which will provide accurate and consistent emissions inventory data to ensure that emissions reductions are equitably shared. The department has committed to inventory and report its own emissions under The Climate Registry protocol.

Technology Assessment

Among technologies scheduled to be evaluated are costs and benefits of liquid and solid biofuels, reductions in vehicle miles traveled, and carbon capture and storage.

Partnerships

The Office of Climate Change aims to integrate a climate change element into the decision making and practices of governments, public and private institutions, businesses and individuals across the state. Through the Office of Climate Change, New York participated in the 2007 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali, and continues to work with the International Carbon Action Partnership, an organization of governments actively operating or developing cap and trade programs.

Information

Informing the public is a key challenge for the Climate Change program. The Office of Climate Change is part of a network of organizations working to provide the best available science, enabling New Yorkers to act effectively to protect themselves and their environment. Teachers and students at all levels are seeking information about climate change, which the Office is working to provide in partnership with DEC's Environmental Education Centers.