Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced the latest round of communities to achieve certification as part of New York State’s Climate Smart Communities program, which supports local efforts to meet the economic, social, and environmental challenges posed by climate change. The announcement signifies meaningful steps being taken by local governments to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
“New York State applauds the work of local communities facing the climate crisis head on through the implementation of policies and plans that benefit local residents, create green jobs, and help build a stronger, more resilient Empire State,” Governor Hochul said. “It is crucial to do everything we can to combat climate change, and I thank my partners not only in the state, but in our neighborhoods for making these smart communities a reality. For our children, we must leave the earth better than it was when we inherited it, and with work like this we certainly are.”
To achieve Climate Smart Community certification, local governments accumulate points for planning and implementation actions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve community resilience to the worsening impacts of climate change. Recently, 21 communities successfully met the criteria to be newly recognized or re-certified as leaders at the bronze level.
New and recertified bronze Climate Smart Communities include in the Western New York region include Town of Aurora, Village of Hamburg, and Village of Williamsville.
For a full list of actions completed by these and the other certified Climate Smart Communities, view their online certification reports found at the Climate Smart Communities website.
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