ALT What’s Mamdani’s history as an environmentalist? Mamdani knows the stakes and some of the solutions to the climate crisis in New York. One of his earliest organizing projects was the fight against a proposed dirty energy plant in Astoria, his neighborhood. During his two terms in the state Assembly, he supported the All-Electric Buildings Act and congestion pricing, won more than $100 million in additional operating funds for our subways and buses, and created the city’s first successful fare-free bus pilot program.

ALT He was an initial cosponsor of the state Build Public Renewables Act, which requires the publicly owned New York Power Authority (NYPA) to develop renewable energy for the public sector and beyond, filling in the massive gaps left by the private sector. He championed the push to expand NYPA to develop 15 gigawatts of renewable energy, with half of that going to projects in the city. As NYPA produces, distributes, and pays for energy for all public-sector buildings in the state, its expansion is key to renewable energy solutions. Mamdani will have to garner support from Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has been reluctant to implement this plan. But facing an election next year, she might be convinced to change her tune, especially with a movement push. That model of publicly owned energy could be used to develop a municipal energy entity as well.