Climate Smart Communities

city seal
CSC_Logo
About the Program

Founded in 2009, the Climate Smart Communities (CSC) program is sponsored by six different New York State agencies:

  • Department of Environmental Conservation
  • Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)
  • Department of Public Service
  • Department of State
  • Department of Transportation
  • Department of Health
The program was designed to encourage local governments to take action on climate change by committing to a 10-point CSC Pledge. A municipality is designated as a Certified Climate Smart Community once they also complete and document several crucial actions that help the community mitigate and adapt to climate change at the local level.
Making the City Climate Smart

The City of Schenectady is proud to have received Climate Smart Communities Bronze Certification, and looks forward to Silver Certification, as Mayor McCarthy is continually looking for ways to make Schenectady cleaner and greener. There are 12 main action categories that we are aiming to fulfill (actions considered priority actions by New York State are in bold):

  1. Build a climate-smart community*
    2. CSC Certification Criteria
  2. Inventory emissions, set goals, and plan for climate action
  3. Decrease energy use
  4. Shift to clean, renewable energy
  5. Use climate-smart materials management
  6. Implement climate-smart land use
  7. Enhance community resilience to climate change
  8. Support a green innovation economy
  9. Inform and inspire the public
  10. Engage in an evolving process of climate action
  11. Innovation
  12. Performance
    13. *this action is mandatory.

Click below to view our latest reports

  1. GHG Assessment Report (July 2019)
  2. Climate Vulnerability & Adaptation Report (April 2021)
  3. Community Forest Management Plan - Final (July 2022)