TESTIMONY OF THE MAYOR’S OFFICE
BEFORE THE COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
OF THE PHILIPPINES
Friday, September 28, 2018
I. INTRODUCTION
Good afternoon. My name is Daniel Zarrilli, and I am New York City Mayor de Blasio’s Chief Climate
Policy Advisor and the Director of OneNYC. I’d like to thank Commissioner Cadiz and the members of
the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines and the New York City Bar Association for this
opportunity to speak about our approach to climate liability and the progress the de Blasio Administration
has made as a global leader in the fight against climate change, including the actions we’ve taken to hold
the fossil fuel industry accountable for the destruction that has been unleashed by the continued burning
of fossil fuels.
First, let me commend the other members of the panel that have testified over the last two days. We have
heard powerful voices of survivors from across the globe and we should all thank them for sharing their
stories.
Today, I intend to briefly describe the history of the City’s actions to address climate change, an overview
of the three main themes of our current work – mitigation, or the reduction of the city’s own greenhouse
gas emissions, adaptation, or the preparations we’re making for the changes already occurring to our
climate, and accountability, holding the fossil fuel industry directly accountable for the damage we’ve
already seen and can reasonably expect to see in the future, before taking any questions.
II. A LEGACY OF CLIMATE ACTION
First, a bit of history. In October 2012, Hurricane Sandy roared ashore and brought home the reality that
climate risks could no longer be thought of as a future risk. It was here and now. And the risks are not
limited to hurricanes. Rising seas, more extreme heat, and stronger precipitation events threaten as well.
In response, the City released its first comprehensive climate resiliency plan and set forth a detailed risk
assessment and new initiatives, launching an over $20 billion program to prepare New York City for a
future with climate change. We were a city that had been shaken to consciousness on climate change and
our actions had to change.
III. ONE NEW YORK: THE PLAN FOR A STRONG AND JUST CITY
When the de Blasio administration came into office, that legacy informed our work, and we knew that we
had to expand on it as well. In April 2015, Mayor de Blasio released One New York: The Plan for a
Strong and Just City (OneNYC), a strategic plan for inclusive growth and climate action. OneNYC
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