Mayor Walsh Announces Launch of Sustainable Syracuse Initiative

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh announced the launch of Sustainable Syracuse, an initiative to accelerate progress toward a more inclusive and sustainable city. Working with community and government agencies, the City will engage, educate, and empower the Syracuse community with tools to reduce their carbon footprint, mitigate the effects of climate change, and improve quality of life for all while preserving the prosperity of future generations.

"We are experiencing unprecedented change when it comes to our environment including a warming climate, severe weather events, resource depletion and more," said Mayor Walsh. "These forces will have profound impacts on the future of Syracuse. I am proud of the work we are already doing to prepare for these changes and am excited to build off these efforts with a community-wide sustainability initiative. I am confident that together we will make meaningful changes that ensure our city's desire for a greener, sustainable, and livable community."

The official launch was part of a special program at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) Gateway Center, during the college's Earth Week celebrations. The event included a proclamation honoring ESF Professor Emanuel Carter, a presentation on the Sustainable Syracuse Initiative, and discussion with City departments about current and past work in this area.

Joannie Mahoney, President of ESF said, "ESF has a rich history of partnering with the City of Syracuse. Since ESF's founding, our faculty, students, and staff have worked alongside the City to be stewards of the environment and to work hard to improve the lives of those in Syracuse. We are honored that the City has chosen to launch Sustainable Syracuse on Earth Day, and on our campus, where we'll be celebrating Earth Week. We look forward to continuing our work toward a sustainable future. We are also thrilled to see Professor Emanuel Carter recognized for his lifelong dedication to teaching landscape architecture and inspiring a commitment to community and service."

To jumpstart the initiative, the City's Division of Planning and Sustainability is using funding from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) Climate Smart Communities Program and working with C&S Companies to develop a consolidated community and municipal Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory (GHGI) and Climate Action Plan (CAP). The development of the GHGI and CAP will provide a feasible vision for Greenhouse Gas emission reduction and climate mitigation within the city of Syracuse.

Dereth Glance, NYSDEC Region 7 Director said, "Under the leadership of Mayor Walsh, the city of Syracuse accelerated its decades long commitment to reduce emissions, improve resilience, and foster sustainability. DEC is proud to have awarded $100,000 to Syracuse under New York State's Climate Smart Communities Program to facilitate climate planning and adopt local climate actions. Congratulations on launching the Sustainable Syracuse Initiative, truly making Earth Day every day in the Salt City. Together, collective actions to reduce pollution and adopt climate smart solutions usher in a more sustainable future for us all."

Olwen Huxley, Senior Principal for Sustainability at C&S Companies said, "As a Syracuse-based firm, it is a privilege for C&S to contribute to the Sustainable Syracuse Initiative by helping the City quantify its greenhouse gas emissions and develop its climate action plan. Syracuse is our home: we want to contribute to the planning and preparation that are necessary to become more climate resilient. Together with our partner firms, EDR and Prospect Hill, we are excited to collaborate with the City and its stakeholders to celebrate the progress made to date, continue to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and increase municipal and community climate preparedness."

Last year, Mayor Walsh established a city government Sustainability Taskforce to better align ideas and cross-departmental efforts around sustainability. The taskforce advises on the development of the CAP and the implementation of sustainability into the City of Syracuse Comprehensive Plan, which is currently being revised. The Comprehensive Plan 2050 will outline the vision and goals for the community's future and will emphasize social and economic sustainability.

To learn more about the Sustainable Syracuse Initiative, visit syr.gov/sustainable-syracuse.

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