In celebration of Climate Week, Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla and the City of Hoboken recommitted to the City’s Climate Action Plan to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 and net-zero energy by 2030 officially joining the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM) and the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) 100% Renewables Cities and Regions Network. The new partnerships reaffirm Hoboken’s dedication to addressing climate change, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and increasing resilience to climate impacts.
“Joining the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy and ICLEI 100% Renewables Cities and Regions Network underscores our unwavering commitment to building a sustainable and resilient future for Hoboken,” said Mayor Bhalla. “Our City is taking bold steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while adapting to the impacts of climate change through resiliency parks, flood mitigation, and much more. We are proud to stand with cities around the world in this critical global effort.”
The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy is a worldwide coalition of cities that share a commitment to address climate change, reduce emissions, and foster sustainable energy solutions. As part of this commitment, Hoboken pledges to implement policies and undertake measures to reduce and avoid greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, prepare for the impacts of climate change, increase access to sustainable energy, and track progress towards these objectives; many of the same goals as the City’s existing Climate Action Plan.
Hoboken will update and regularly report on existing plans through the CDP-ICLEI unified climate reporting system, including:
- A community-scale GHG emission inventory.
- An assessment of climate risks and vulnerabilities.
- Ambitious, measurable, and time-bound targets to reduce/avoid GHG emissions.
- A climate change adaptation vision and goals to increase local resilience.
- Goals to improve access to secure, sustainable, and affordable energy.
- Formally adopted plans addressing climate change mitigation, resilience, and sustainable energy access.
Hoboken received an A from the CDP-ICLEI unified climate reporting system in 2021, 2022, and 2023, a global rating system for climate action. This score reflects Hoboken’s leadership in climate adaptation and mitigation among cities around the world.
In addition, the ICLEI 100% Renewables Cities and Regions Network supports the global transition to 100 percent renewable energy in electricity, heating, cooling, and transportation. The Network, managed by ICLEI, is part of the Global 100% RE Platform and works in collaboration with UN-Energy’s Energy Compacts initiative. Through the new commitment the City will seek to source all energy from renewable sources by 2035 for both government and community operations mirroring the state of New Jersey's Executive Order No. 315 to accelerate the target of 100 percent clean energy by 2050 to 2035.
The new commitments build on the City’s Climate Action Plan, established in 2019, which provides a baseline carbon footprint for GHG emissions, sets the City’s targets to reach net zero energy by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, and identifies actions required to achieve those goals.
During the Bhalla Administration, the City has launched the Hoboken Renewable Energy Program and Community Solar Program to provide residents with more sustainable energy, expanded its residential composting drop-off program, launched the Textile Recyling Program, installed publicly accessible electric vehicle charging infrastructure, established the Department of Climate Action & Innovation, and more.
The City also continues climate adaptation efforts to mitigate flooding caused by heavy rainfall and storm surge following Superstorm Sandy in 2012 which inundated the City with over 500 million gallons of stormwater causing over $110 million in property damage, extended power outages, and National Guard evacuations.
The City has constructed three resiliency parks capable of detaining up to 3 million gallons of stormwater caused by rainfall flooding, is currently expanding capacity and open space amenities at the Southwest Resiliency Park, and is planning a new resiliency park at 800 Monroe St.
The NJDEP in partnership with the City is currently constructing the Rebuild by Design – Hudson River resist structure, integrated into the urban landscape in the form of Harborside Park, signage, planters, and more, which will mitigate coastal storm surge from entering the City during hurricanes and reduce property damage.
For more information on the City’s resiliency and sustainability initiatives, projects, and programs, go to www.hobokennj.gov/sustainability.
