New York City
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In partnership with |
CONTACT
Joanne Derwin
Director, Urban Agenda
Phone: (212) 206-8747
info(at)urbanagenda.org
275 7th Ave., 18th Floor
New York, NY 10001
Urban Agenda is spearheading the NYC Apollo Alliance, a new and growing coalition of labor unions, environmental justice advocates, business leaders, community organizations, and educators. NYC Apollo seeks to transform the way New York City is powered in order to create jobs, improve residents’ health and productivity, promote equity, and ensure New York maintains its status as the preeminent global city.
PAST SUCCESSES
Urban Agenda and Apollo president, Jerome Ringo, held a public forum to discuss how federal action could affect New York CIty on February 2, 2009. J. Mijin Cha, the director of campaign research at Urban Agenda, argued in the Gotham Gazette that creating green-collar jobs is not enough to turn around our economy, and “we must create “green collar” jobs that pay well, provide health benefits and offer opportunities for career advancement while improving our environment.” The point was underscored by Jerome Ringo, president of the national Apollo Alliance, who introduced the New Apollo Program, a bold economic investment plan that seeks to build on America’s strengths – ‘our infrastructure, workforce, entrepreneurship, and can-do spirit’. The plan has been gaining momentum in Washington since it was made public in September 2008 – “in fact, much of the federal stimulus package echoes what we’re saying,” said Ringo.
We organized an energy forum on Nov. 18, 2008, to discuss NYC’s energy future. Representatives from the New York State Energy Research and Development Agency, ConEdison, NYC Economic Development Corporation, and elsewhere discussed the future of conventional and renewable energy sources in NYC.
In October 2009, Urban Agenda and the Center for American Progress released the New York City Green-Collar Jobs Roadmap, a step-by-step plan that lays out how to create an inclusive green economy in New York City.
WHAT’S IN THE WORKS
The New York City Apollo Alliance continues to work on the Green Jobs Roundtable to move the city’s green jobs agenda forward.
We are working with the City Council on energy efficiency and green buildings legislation. The legislation aims to implement benchmarking and energy auditing requirements. NYC Apollo Alliance wants to ensure that the legislation incorporates best practices and supports the development of quality green-collar jobs.
