Louise Yeung, a veteran of New York City government, has been appointed chief climate officer for Mayor Zohran Mamdani, taking the helm of the Mayor’s Office for Climate and Environmental Justice.
Decade‑long experience on the front lines
During ten years in city service, Yeung helped rebuild flood infrastructure after Hurricane Sandy, worked to produce streets and tunnels more resilient to climate change, and aligned the city’s financial investments with its climate goals. She previously partnered with the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice and served at the NYC Comptroller’s office, focusing on climate accountability and finance.
One early project she cites was the “Big U” flood‑protection effort along lower Manhattan, from Battery Park to the Brooklyn Bridge (details).
New role and strategic focus
As chief climate officer, Yeung says her mission is to show New Yorkers how climate change shapes daily life: “Climate change is such a cross‑cutting issue… it really does have a daily impact on how people can feel safe, how people can feel healthy and how people can live a life with dignity.”
She leads a team that partners with city agencies to make buildings more resilient, expand renewable‑energy projects, and manage the New York City Panel on Climate Change, which issues key climate projections.
Yeung emphasizes linking climate action to labor, economic justice, housing, and transportation. Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su is working on workers’ rights and green‑economy opportunities, while the city’s congestion‑pricing program has already cut traffic, improved air quality (details), and reduced noise in the Central Business District.
What may come next
The office may continue to refine the environmental‑justice plan, working with the Environmental Justice Advisory Board to embed racial and economic equity into citywide climate initiatives. It could also expand coordination with the Department of Buildings to enforce Local Law 97 (details) while adding storm‑water capture and renewable‑energy standards to new construction.
Analysts expect the city might further leverage mode‑shift strategies, such as marine highways, to move freight off congested roadways and reduce emissions from trucks.
In flood‑prone neighborhoods, Yeung’s team may adopt a multi‑hazard design approach, planning schools, parks, and housing to withstand a range of climate threats over the next 20‑50 years.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Louise Yeung’s new position?
She is the chief climate officer for Mayor Zohran Mamdani, heading the Mayor’s Office for Climate and Environmental Justice.
What are the main priorities of the Mayor’s Office for Climate and Environmental Justice?
The office focuses on making buildings resilient, expanding renewable‑energy projects, managing climate projections, integrating climate with labor, economic justice, housing, and transportation, and advancing environmental‑justice planning.
How is New York City addressing environmental‑justice and flood risk?
Yeung’s team developed an environmental‑justice report, is drafting a citywide environmental‑justice plan with an advisory board, and is linking climate resilience to affordable housing, zoning, and building‑code standards, while also investing in flood‑protection projects post‑Sandy and responding to flood impacts from Hurricane Ida.
How do you think New York City can balance climate resilience with affordable housing in the years ahead?
