Plan Will Advance $100 Million Climate Innovation Hub at Brooklyn Army Terminal, Create More Than 12,000 Green Economy Apprenticeships by 2040
Our Bureau
New York, NY
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball, and Mayor’s Office of Talent and Workforce Development (NYCTalent) Executive Director Abby Jo Sigal today announced the release of the Green Economy Action Plan — a first-of-its-kind plan that lays out a roadmap to growing the city’s green economy. The plan invests in jobs and sectors that will help the city combat climate change, and train and position New Yorkers — particularly those from environmentally-disadvantaged communities — to benefit from the nearly 400,000 projected ‘green-collar’ jobs in New York City by 2040.
Critical to this plan is the creation of a new “Climate Innovation Hub” at the Brooklyn Army Terminal, which will help grow green technology startups and businesses, and which will be joined together with the Trust for Governors Island and the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation to create a green economy ecosystem across three campuses that will support 5,000 new permanent jobs, educate and train 2,100 New Yorkers, and generate $55 billion of economic impact. The Green Economy Action Plan delivers on another promise in Mayor Adams’ State of the City address, and builds on his commitment to invest in future-focused industries and create a “Harbor of the Future” with job and innovation hubs along the East River.
“Our city didn’t recover the nearly 1 million jobs we lost during the pandemic and reach a new private-sector job high by looking backward — we did it by building an economy of the future. And we must draw on all our resources to protect our city from the effects of climate change,” said Mayor Adams. “From building resiliency projects and retrofitting apartment buildings, to installing solar panels, EV charging stations, and wind turbines, ‘green-collar’ jobs are already in demand and leading the way. Our Green Economy Action Plan will harness the growth of a new kind of industrial revolution and give New Yorkers the tools they need to build a resilient and prosperous city and thrive in our future-focused economy.”
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 — as it becomes the anchor of a prosperous, equitable, and just future for New Yorkers, while it simultaneously advances the city’s ambitious goals to reduce the city’s threats due to climate change. 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.
“Treating the climate change crisis with the urgency it requires doesn’t just support our infrastructure but our economy too, with good, ‘green-collar’ jobs for New Yorkers with diverse educations and histories,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “As unusual weather events become all too usual, we all have a role to play in protecting our city. Our city is creating the framework so that everyone can get involved.”
“By co-authoring the Green Economy Action Plan, we wrote the roadmap for an historic opportunity to tackle the climate crisis, create jobs, and drive economic mobility, while positioning New York City as a global leader in the green economy,” said NYCTalent Executive Director Sigal. “The plan represents the city’s commitment to concrete strategies to ensure that all New Yorkers contribute to and benefit from our city’s growth and prosperity.”
“The Green Economy Network and JobsFirstNYC applaud New York City Mayor Eric Adams, NYCEDC, and NYCTalent for unveiling the Green Economy Action Plan, a visionary roadmap for the city’s sustainable future. Most notably, the mayor’s plan centers equity, employment, and economic growth, and we are committed to collaborating with the administration and citywide partners to ensure the success of this plan,” said Keri Faulhaber, vice president, JobsFirstNYC. “Together, we can pave the way for a resilient and inclusive green economy, creating opportunities for New Yorkers, especially those in environmentally-disadvantaged communities, to thrive in the nearly 400,000 green collar jobs projected by 2040.”
“The Green Economy Action Plan is a groundbreaking initiative that will propel New York City to the forefront of the global green economy and ensure a more sustainable future for all New Yorkers,” said Carlo A. Scissura, Esq., president and CEO, New York Building Congress. “By committing to the creation of nearly 400,000 green collar jobs by 2040 and a $100 million Climate Innovation Hub, we are not just investing in the environment, we are investing in our people and our collective future.”
