Search Results (3)

New York State (NYS) is actively promoting the transition to a bioeconomy to address climate change, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and foster sustainable development. This study aims to evaluate the potential of NYS’s bioeconomy, as outlined in the scoping plan guided by the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), in achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. The primary objectives are to assess the bioeconomy’s role in meeting climate targets by quantifying its contributions to GHG mitigation and renewable energy integration and to propose a robust monitoring framework for tracking progress. The study also examines the socioeconomic benefits of bioeconomy initiatives, particularly for disadvantaged communities (DACs), and identifies key dimensions and indicators for sustainability monitoring. The hypothesis tested posits that an integrated bioeconomy strategy can simultaneously address environmental, social, and economic goals. Findings reveal that while biomass resources offer significant opportunities for GHG mitigation and economic growth, challenges remain in feedstock estimation, deployment readiness, and stakeholder coordination. A comprehensive monitoring framework is proposed to guide policy decisions and ensure alignment with sustainability objectives. This research provides actionable insights to advance NYS’s bioeconomy, emphasizing inclusivity, environmental stewardship, and resilience. Full article

The question of liability (responsibility) for loss and damage (L&D) associated with climate change often ignores the liability for L&D from greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions which are the source of climate change-related impacts. New York State (NYS) recognizes its responsibility regarding climate change as documented in the NYS Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) (Senate Bill S6599), which put forward the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from all anthropogenic sources 100% over 1990 levels by the year 2050, with an incremental target of at least a 40% reduction in climate pollution by the year 2030. The current NYS carbon footprint (CF) does not include soil-based GHG emissions from land developments, preventing the state from reaching its net-zero emission goals. The current study addresses this shortcoming by quantifying the “realized” social costs of CO₂ (SC-CO₂) emissions for NYS from all land developments (12,037.5 km², midpoint 1.7 × 10¹¹ of total soil carbon (TSC) losses with midpoint $28.5B (where B = billion = 10⁹, USD)) in social costs of carbon dioxide emissions, SC-CO₂) and “new” land developments (485.2 km²) in the period from 2001 to 2016, which caused a complete loss of midpoint 6.6 × 10⁹ kg of TSC resulting in midpoint $1.1B SC-CO₂. All NYS’s counties experienced land conversions, with most of the developments, TSC losses, and SC-CO₂ occurred near the existing urban areas of New York City (NYC), Long Island, and Albany. Land conversion to developments creates additional liability by the loss of future GHG sequestration potential in developed areas. In addition, there is a substantial future liability in NYS from climate change impacts, such as the projected sea-level rises will impact 17 of NY’s 62 counties, which will cause high costs of adaptation. Incorporation of land use/land cover change (LULCC) analysis can help better quantify the CF and identify ways to reduce GHG emissions and the associated liabilities and compensations to help achieve some of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Full article

New York State’s (NYS) Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) requires that 100% of the state’s electricity supply be greenhouse gas emissions-free by 2040 and that 6000 megawatts (MW) of solar energy must be installed in NYS by 2025. This study aims to evaluate the environmental impact of electricity generation from New York State distributed solar photovoltaic systems. This cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment (LCA) follows the International Standardization Organization (ISO) framework for LCA, including the goal and scope definition, inventory analysis, impact assessment, and interpretation. The study is based on operational data from 120 existing solar installations. Global Warming Potential varies substantially by site, with the minimum and maximum impact values varying from 25.2 to 88.5 gCO_2eq/kWh, and with a mean of 45.6 gCO_2eq/kWh. Regression analysis shows this range is attributable to differences in site location, capacity factor, and system design (i.e., monocrystalline and polycrystalline panels, area power ratio). Based on absolute percentage, the inclusion of the end-of-life process reduces the total environmental impact from 2% in Ozone Depletion to 16% in Acidification, indicating a positive impact of engaging in end-of-life management across all categories. This analysis can help policymakers understand the implications of the solar PV installation mandate. Full article