The NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice (MOCEJ) coordinates city efforts to cut greenhouse-gas emissions, prepare for climate impacts and address environmental harms through an equity and public-health lens. Its work prioritizes low-income communities and communities of color that face greater climate risks, while addressing issues such as clean air and water, extreme heat, open space, housing, transportation and renewable energy.28
Based in New York City, the office was formed in 2022 by bringing together several existing city environmental offices, including those responsible for climate resilience, sustainability, environmental coordination and remediation.24 The city describes it as the first climate office in its history to include environmental justice in its name.3 Its remit spans buildings, infrastructure, streets and public spaces, energy, waste and land use; it also works with communities and other city agencies to shape and deliver programs.78
MOCEJ’s initiatives include FloodNet, a network for real-time urban flood monitoring; Climate Strong Communities, which works with residents in neighborhoods at high risk from extreme weather; and NYC Accelerator, which offers building stakeholders free, one-on-one guidance on making properties greener.1 Other programs address clean construction, utility affordability and voluntary acquisition of homes in areas at high flood risk.1
The office’s leadership has changed since its creation: Mayor Eric Adams appointed Kizzy Charles-Guzman as its first executive director in 2022, and Elijah Hutchinson was appointed to the role in 2023.47 The city’s Green Book lists Louise Yeung as chief climate officer.2