Letter from the Executive Director

Welcome to the Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice.

In January 2022, Mayor Adams created a new configuration of the City’s Climate team, bringing together people working on climate resiliency, sustainability, and environmental coordination and remediation. We are all united under one umbrella for the critical work that is already upon us: how to address climate change in our city with a focus on equity, justice, and public health.

As New Yorkers know, our city is already experiencing a variety of climate hazards, including chronic conditions such as heat, tidal flooding, and air pollution, as well as acute events such as coastal storm surge, extreme rainfall, and power outages. Our role as MOCEJ is to lead the City’s strategy to confront our climate crisis, so we can protect our city, our communities, and our future. This team’s focus is to improve health and quality of life for our communities while we prepare for climate challenges. Environmental justice has been the central cause of my working life. Those who believe in environmental justice recognize that health, food, racial and economic equity, gender equity, housing, green space, transit, and climate change are all connected.

It is an honor to serve as the Executive Director of MOCEJ and to advance climate action and environmental justice for my fellow New Yorkers. I look forward to collaborating with you as we work to improve and save lives in the greatest city in the world.