FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 29, 2020

Kingston First City in New York State to Achieve Climate Milestone:

Awarded Climate Smart Communities’ Silver Certification

KINGSTON, NY – Mayor Steven T. Noble is pleased to announce that the City of Kingston has received the Climate Smart Communities’ Silver Certification from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The City of Kingston is one of only four communities in the state to officially be listed as Silver-Certified, and the only city to reach this distinguished designation.

Climate Smart Communities is a New York State program that helps local governments take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to a changing climate. Certified communities are the foremost leaders in the state and have completed actions that mitigate and adapt to climate change at the local level.

“The certified Climate Smart Communities are models for municipalities across the state, complementing the State’s climate leadership by taking local action to reduce climate pollution and strengthen their ability to withstand flooding and severe weather driven by climate change,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos.

“It’s a huge honor to receive this certification, and a testament to how hard we have worked to meet our goals,” said Mayor Noble. “I want to thank the Office of Sustainability, under the leadership of Julie Noble, and the Climate Smart Kingston commission for their commitment to this community, which has truly put Kingston in the forefront of the state’s environmental protection efforts.” 

“By taking proactive steps to mitigate and adapt to climate change locally, we have been recognized by the DEC as a leader in the state,” said Julie Noble, Environmental Educator and Sustainability Coordinator. “This is urgent and essential work and we are honored to accept this certification. We will continue to take every necessary action to move Kingston forward, and preserve our city for generations to come.” 

About Climate Smart Communities:

Started in 2009, the CSC program provides guidance and technical support to local governments to take locally driven climate action. The first step communities take is to register by passing a pledge to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change. Currently there are 305 local governments that have passed the CSC pledge, representing more than 8.7 million New Yorkers. The certification program was launched in 2014 to document and celebrate the accomplishments of leading communities. In total, there are now 51 certified Climate Smart Communities in New York State.

In order to be certified, every community must show that it has an active climate action task force that includes municipal and resident representatives. Many certified communities get points for installing electric vehicle charging stations and putting solar panels on municipal buildings. Most certified communities also complete greenhouse gas inventories that calculate emissions at the local level and help them identify how best to help New York State meet the aggressive greenhouse gas limits required by the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). More at: https://climatesmart.ny.gov/