Asabe Vincent-Otiono/ Uptown Radio
Host Intro- Today marks the end of the Earth Week. A week dedicated to support environment protection. Politicians are giving earth day presents to their constituents. Asabe Vincent-Otiono reports on why these politicians need to take a step back.
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Earth Day week began with proclamations from politicians all around the globe. New York city was no different. Mayor Bill de blasio’s emphasis however was on air pollution
BLASIO- EVERY POSSIBLE POLLUTION IN THE AIR IS ADDRESSED AND ADDRESSED STRINGENTLY. WE ARE GONNA MAKE SURE WE DO THAT.
The problem with policies is that there are linear. Jeffrey Sachs is the director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University. He says the issue with politicians is that their priority is just to get reelected. He says sustainable development is broader than just economics
SACHS- Sustainable Development intrinsically is a mix of natural and human interactions. It’s a different kind of study than studying natural physical that exist outside our human interactions.
He spoke about this at the launch of the Interdisciplinary workshop for Sustainable development at Columbia University. Eyal Frank the is the vice president of the research society for the doctoral programme.
FRANK One person can bring the ideas from the econ side, another from the physical side. Together they can illuminate the problem from very different angles and get answer you wouldn’t be able to get from just one discipline
But where does New York rank? Professor Laurence Tubiana says it is better than most countries. She is a professor at SIPA, Columbia University
TUBIANA As I am go to the climate change conference in Paris. We certainly look forward to using New York state as an example and I know that New York is certainly looking at developing other cities that can go in the same direction.
Yesterday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo agreed to expand the state’s solar energy industry with 1 billion in incentives for photovoltaic systems through 2023.
New York city has been the named the third greenest city . Tokyo and Japan are first and second.
Asabe Vincent-Otiono, Columbia Radio News