As each one of us make our own moves to advocate for clean energy, inclusive climate action and sustainability in Harlem, Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced the appointment of Mark Chambers as the Director of the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability.
Chambers brings years of clean energy management and resource conservation experience to the Office of Sustainability.
Mark Chambers is a nationally-respected expert in clean energy, inclusive climate action and sustainability. He will lead the City’s sustainability programs, working to reduce the City’s contributions to the causes of climate change and expand environmental quality across the city. This includes significant initiatives to meet the City’s aggressive greenhouse gas emissions targets – an 80 percent reduction from 2005 levels by 2050 – and achieve important air quality and renewable energy goals, aspects of Mayor de Blasio’s OneNYC plan which aims to create a more equitable, resilient and sustainable city. Chambers most recently served as the Director of Sustainability and Energy in Washington D.C., and will start in his new role later this month.
Chambers will report to Daniel Zarrilli, Senior Director of Climate Policy and Programs and Chief Resilience Officer for the Office of the Mayor. Zarrilli will continue in his role leading the City’s integrated climate team, including overseeing the work of the Office of Recovery and Resiliency, the Office of Sustainability, the Office of Environmental Coordination and the OneNYC program.
“Our goals to cut the City’s greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050 and prepare the city for the impacts of climate change are ambitious,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “However, with the right talent and experience, the City will be in a position to meet these commitments as part of our broader OneNYC program to create a more equitable, sustainable and resilient city. Mark Chambers and his years of nationally-recognized experience are joining a larger team of extremely talented climate experts. I’m confident we’ll be able meet our goals with this team, and I look forward to working with them.”
“Climate change continues to be one of the greatest challenges of our time, demanding creativity and leadership. New York City and the de Blasio Administration continue to lead the globe through our ground-breaking OneNYC program of inclusive climate actions,” said Daniel Zarrilli, Senior Director for Climate Policy and Programs and Chief Resilience Officer for the Office of the Mayor. “With the addition of Mark Chambers to our team, the City will expand its global leadership on inclusive climate action as we prepare for the future. I’m thrilled to have Mark join the team as we raise the bar and achieve our ambitious climate commitments.”
“At no other time have City governments played as pivotal a leadership role in a global imperative as we are witnessing now in the response to our changing climate. The de Blasio Administration continues to set the standard for inclusive urban policy and I am excited to lead the Office of Sustainability forward on behalf of our great city”, said Mark Chambers, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability. “Reaching the Mayor’s OneNYC sustainability goals and responding to our global climate challenges will continue to require hard work, innovation and empathy for those most impacted and I’m excited to join this effort.”
Council Member Costa Constantinides, Chair of the Committee on Environmental Protection, said, “Cities are vital to our worldwide effort to combat climate change. With Mark Chambers directing the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, we are continuing our city’s path toward reducing carbon emissions 80 percent by 2050 and ensuring we remain a global role model on environmental and climate policy.”
“C40 applauds New York City’s inclusive climate actions and is delighted to continue working with Mark, who was recognized by C40 for his vision and leadership in his previous role with the District of Columbia. He is a true professional and we remain eager to share with and learn from NYC as part of C40’s global network of climate leaders,” said Mark Watts, Executive Director of C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group.
“We are delighted to have someone as accomplished in urban sustainability as Mark Chambers coordinating the City’s sustainability efforts, and we look forward to working with him,” said Marcia Bystryn, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters. “This role is critical to ensure inter-agency coordination, progress on the city’s OneNYC sustainability goals and continued innovation on climate policy.”
“As a pioneer and longtime champion of sustainability, Mark has been a tremendous leader in Washington, D.C.,” said Carl Galioto, FAIA, Managing Principal of HOK’s New York office. “I know he will make important contributions to New York City’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and maintain our position as a world leader for sustainability. We are extremely pleased that he will be heading the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and look forward to collaborating with him.”
In April 2015, Mayor de Blasio released his OneNYC plan. This plan, representing the City’s roadmap for inclusive growth and climate action, made significant commitments to make our growing city more equitable, more sustainable and more resilient. Since that time, the City has made significant progress toward those goals:
- Reduced citywide greenhouse gas emissions 14 percent in 2015
- Expanded the City’s electric vehicle fleet to over 500 vehicles
- Expanded organics recycling to over 700,000 New Yorkers
- Secured commitments to develop new flood maps that promote affordability and climate-smart planning
- Achieved key project milestones across the city’s over $20 billion resiliency program
- Fought to achieve minimum wage gains that will lift hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers out of poverty or near poverty
- Financed over 52,000 affordable housing units
- Reached a record 4.3 million jobs
The Mayor’s Office of Sustainability is a key piece of the City’s OneNYC climate policy and programs team and provides daily support to City Hall on sustainability issues, policy and research. In addition, the Office also oversees overall citywide sustainability policy development, oversight and implementation in coordination with relevant City agencies. The Office of Sustainability also works with City agencies to coordinate relevant policy with federal, state and local environmental stakeholders.
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