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NYC will target food choices in its battle against climate change
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NYC WILL TARGET FOOD CHOICES IN ITS BATTLE AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE



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By
Elizabeth Kim

Published Apr 17, 2023

12 comments

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Photo by: Joan Slatkin/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

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By
Elizabeth Kim

Published Apr 17, 2023

12 comments

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The Adams administration has announced a plan to begin tracking the carbon
footprint created by household food consumption as well as a new target for New
York City agencies to reduce their food-based emissions by 33% by the year 2023.

Mayor Eric Adams announced the plan on Monday along with the Mayor’s Office of
Climate & Environmental Justice as part of the city's ongoing pledge to reduce
the impact of climate change. At the same event, the Mayor's Office of Climate &
Environmental Justice published a new chart in the city's annual greenhouse gas
inventory that publicly tracks the carbon footprint created by household food
consumption — primarily generated by meat and dairy products.

The new analysis is a spin on the emissions data that comes standard with the
annual inventory. It was made through a partnership with American Express, C40
Cities and EcoData lab.

Adams, an ardent evangelist of plant-based diets, announced the new tracker and
policy at a Brooklyn culinary center run by Health + Hospitals, the city’s
public health care system.

“It is easy to talk about emissions that are coming from vehicles and how it
impacts our carbon footprint,“ Adams said. “But we now have to talk about beef.”

The new household consumption tracker will be published on the same webpage as
the city’s annual inventory of greenhouse gas sources. The addition lays out the
greenhouse gas pollution involved in the production and consumption of goods,
such as alcoholic beverages or apparel, whether or not those items are made in
New York City. It also examines the emissions tied to high-polluting services
like air travel and lesser known contributors like health care.



All told, 20% of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions come from food consumed by
households, according to the mayor. Food ranks as the third biggest contributor
of carbon emissions after buildings and transportation. Similar stats are
published in the comptroller’s climate dashboard, which was released a year ago
this week.

City officials said New Yorkers can help the planet by eating more fruits,
vegetables, grains, and beans.

For Adams, who was once diagnosed with diabetes, the recognition that food
choices affect climate change dovetails with his push for New Yorkers to eat
more plant-based meals. During his tenure, the city’s public hospital system has
made plant-centric foods its default offering for patients. Public schools last
year added a second day of vegan offerings — although initial reviews were not
great.

The announcement, which comes during the lead-up to Earth Day this weekend, said
the new plan puts the city on par with London and 13 other cities to incorporate
food consumption into its greenhouse gas emission metrics. The effort to examine
the environmental effects of eating foods like meat and dairy was first
announced about a year ago as part of a collaboration among major cities across
the globe.

Monday’s announcement took the further step of specifying goals for city
agencies who regularly feed New Yorkers. In addition to lowering food-based
emissions within agencies such as the city’s public hospital network and public
school system, Adams is asking private sector companies to cut their emissions
by 25% by 2030.

Previous attempts by the city to change the way New Yorkers eat have encountered
resistance. In 2012, former Mayor Michael Bloomberg unsuccessfully tried to
institute a wide-scale ban on large sodas and other sugary drinks. The policy,
which the soda industry argued was overreach, was eventually struck down by a
state Supreme Court judge.



On Monday, Adams acknowledged that interrogating people’s food choices would be
difficult.

“I don't know if people are really ready for this conversation,” he said.



Tagged

eric adams
Politics
new york city

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Elizabeth Kim


Elizabeth Kim is a reporter on the People and Power desk who covers mayoral
power. She previously covered the pandemic, housing, redevelopment and public
spaces. A native of Queens, she speaks fluent Mandarin.

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