Cuomo Signs Climate Change Agreement, Says Denying Global Warming Isn't A Survival Plan
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday joined government leaders worldwide in signing an agreement to help combat global warming and keep the Earth's average temperature from rising dangerously.
As WCBS 880's Peter Haskell reported, the ambitious emissions reduction plan is called the Under Two MOU.
"Which commits New York State to a global effort to keep the earth's average temperature from rising 2 degrees Celsius from the pre-industrial level bench mark," Cuomo explained.
The governor said he feels the agreement is critical.
"To deny that climate change is real is to defy reason," Cuomo said.
The memo comes ahead of the United Nations' climate negotiations in Paris in December.
Former vice president and environmentalist Al Gore sat next to Cuomo on stage. He said he hoped New York's commitment would send a strong signal to world leaders and encourage others to make the same pledge.
Cuomo said to ignore climate change "is gross negligence by government and irresponsible as citizens.''
The governor's move comes amid projections showing a rising sea level that could eventually wipe out parts of the state.
Current projections estimate that sea levels will rise 1 to 4 feet by 2100,'' the governor said. "If that is true, New York State would be devastated, it's that simple. Even at a fraction of that rise, Manhattan as we know it would be gone.''
Gore said Superstorm Sandy in 2012 was able to gain strength because it passed over ocean waters that were about 9 degrees warmer than normal.
"The cumulative amount of manmade global warming now traps as much extra heat energy every day as would be released by 400,000 Hiroshima-class atomic bombs exploding every 24 hours,'' he said, adding that most of the energy goes into the oceans.
New York also plans to bring solar energy to 150,000 more homes and businesses and aims to include solar technology in every one of the 64 state universities by 2020.
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