| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 71.75 |
| Liaison | Jauna Vitale |
| Submission Date | Feb. 14, 2025 |
New York University
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Jauna
Vitale Assistant Director, Sustainability NYU Office of Sustainability |
Local advocacy
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the municipal/local level:
NYU regularly works with New York City government officials to advocate for and help develop policies that encourage sustainability at the local level. For example, throughout 2021 and 2022, Chief Sustainability Officer Cecil Scheib participated in the Local Law 97 Advisory Board Commercial Buildings Working Group, administered by the New York City Department of Buildings. This Board was formed to advise on the development of rulemaking in support of legislation aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to buildings in the city. This testimony ultimately influenced the creation of the rules to guide implementation of New York City's Climate Mobilization Act, which was passed in 2019 and sets carbon limits for tens of thousands of buildings in New York City.
In July of 2024, CSO Scheib and Office of Sustainability Manager Stephanie Margolis also advised New York City policy makers through participation in Urban Green Council’s “Aligned for Action: LL97 Commercial Landlord & Tenant Forum”. At the request of the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB), Urban Green Council convened this forum to examine this challenge. Participating experts and stakeholders discussed ways to better align commercial landlord and tenant energy management to meet LL97 requirements. https://www.urbangreencouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Policy-Brief_LL97-Landlord-Tenant-Forum_07.24.2024.pdf
Regional advocacy
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level:
In 2023 and 2024, Office of Sustainability Manager Stephanie Margolis gave advice to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to develop its Retrofit Playbook for Higher Education, part of NYSERDA’s Retrofit Playbook for Large Buildings. On behalf of NYU, Ms. Margolis’s input advocated for how New York State spends funds to promulgate advice and assistance for higher education to reach decarbonization targets. https://retrofitplaybook.org
In 2023, Chief Sustainability Officer Cecil Scheib submitted testimony to the State of New Jersey Board of Public Utilities advocating to make electrification of vehicle fleets easier for higher education institutions in the tri-state area. QO21060946 - NYU & NYU LANGONE 1.24.23
National advocacy
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the national level:
NYU annually advocates before Congress and the Administration to increase research funding at the National Science Foundation and Department of Energy for energy efficiency, climate change mitigation and clean technology entrepreneurship grants/programs. In addition, NYU was a strong supporter of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) which included the Energy Efficiency Tax Credit to help nonprofit organizations develop energy efficiency programs.
International advocacy
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the international level:
NYU helped to form, and actively participates in, the International Universities Climate Alliance (IUCA, https://universitiesforclimate.org). Among the goals of IUCA is to support global leaders, policy makers and industry in planning for and responding to climate change. NYU participates in the recommendations that are made to global policy makers through this form, including at COPs and other settings.
Optional Fields
Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability advocacy efforts is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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