The Big (green) Apple - A Sustainable New York City

The major of New York City, Michael Bloomberg, has announced his intention that New York should be 'the first environmentally sustainable 21st-century city" as a result of a 127-point programme to be realised during the next 25 years. One may assume that part of the concern lies in the actual risk that Manhattan may be flooded as a consequence of the global warming and the rise of sea levels, but good deeds should be praised rather than questioned.

 

The ambitions for energy efficiency are to reduce usage by 20%, using rather radical instruments to do so. One way is to introduce a new energy board for New York City to co-ordinate activities.  The verdict passed on the present situation is harsh but true.  The market is inefficient, infrastructure and buildings are old and demand is growing; not good ingredients for soup.

Also, in the future, there will be road tolls of 8 USD to get into Manhattan, not to finance more roads but to reduce congestion.