THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
September 30, 2021 - October 6, 2021 • 23
Education NYC closes out Climate Week (Ariama C. Long photos)
By ARIAMA C. LONG Report for America Corps Member, Amsterdam News Staff The climate strike began at City Hall Park and marched downtown to Battery Park, where speakers, students of all ages, and organizers came together to demand more political recognition and action against climate change. An unsurprising sight since last week, Sept. 20-24, was United Nations Climate Week in the city. Many of the young marchers were a part of local climate advocate groups, such as Launch Middle School, Green New Deal, the Sunrise Movement, and No NBK Pipeline. Aderinsola Babawale, 19, of the Brownsville Green Justice organization, paused briefly to speak about the gas bill strike and lawsuit they’ve filed against National Grid and their controversial pipeline that’s set to run through North Brooklyn. Construction on the fracked gas pipeline started back in 2017 and has completed several stages so far, but coalitions like Babawale’s have been fighting tooth and nail to slow down and stop its completion. “They were trying to use NYCHA as a pawn to say the gas will be flowing and heating homes,” said Babawale. “That infrastructure is not going to provide anything for anyone. It’s only going to provide more money to line the pockets of CEOs and ignore everybody’s well-being.” Activist Ali Diini, one of the young-
climate resiliency and how to deal with est candidates running for Senate Dis- it right,” said Adams. trict 30 in Harlem, said that signing a Adams said that his resiliency plan extreme storms. Last Wednesday, Sept. 22, de Blasio put green new deal should be the gover- deals with “prevention,” such as longnor’s highest priority. term goals of ending dependence on out the plan for a $75 million investment for more electric vehicles and charging stations, which there are 90 of in current operation (eight for public use). And in Monday’s briefing, Sept. 27, the mayor said he is planning a $2.1 billion investment for the Department of Environmental Protection and $238 million in DEP projects, based on a storm-related extreme weather report the city compiled. The new report charts a path for investing in vulnerable neighborhoods, shoring up infrastructure, warning communities ahead of major weather events, and better tracking storms before they arrive, said de Blasio. “Extreme weather is more common “This is unequally affecting commu- fossil fuels and having clean energy lines, nities of color, frontline communities, and “intervention” which focuses on cre- than ever, and more severe than ever. I myself had my basement flooded be- ating an early warning system to notify Business as usual is over. Keeping New cause of Hurricane Ida,” said Diini at the residents ahead of time and bringing Yorkers safe means profoundly changing the way we prepare for—and react to— rally. “Climate change, this is a crisis that’s basement apartments up to code. happening today.” Adams said he wants to incentivize this new normal,” said de Blasio. Adams said that de Blasio’s plan is a While the youth-led climate strike more green buildings, fast track storm marched through downtown Manhat- funding for recovery, appoint a climate “great starting point” for a proper retan, Mayor-elect and Brooklyn Borough czar that can weigh in on the resiliency of sponse and should be built out more. President Eric Adams and other electeds land use and development projects, and Ariama C. Long is a Report for Ameriaddressed the rising threat of extreme prioritize environmental justice projects. weather in the city outside NYCHA’s “We must emphasize what we must do ca corps member and writes about culture Haber Houses in Brooklyn. now to protect life, to protect property, and politics in New York City for The AmThe site is a senior development that is and to protect New Yorkers and business- sterdam News. Your donation to match one of more than two dozen public hous- es that we saw devastated in Hurricane our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making ing sites still rebuilding from Hurricanes Ida,” said Adams. Sandy and Katrina, said Adams. “Let’s Current Mayor Bill de Blasio also an- a tax-deductible gift of any amount today face it, we screwed up the planet, let’s get nounced his beefed up blueprints for by visiting: https://tinyurl.com/fcszwj8w
