Environmentalists are celebrating Earth Day with renewed energy this year, as issues like climate change are re-gaining the attention that has lagged over the past several years.

Two years ago, Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Accords, then, the devastating pandemic put many climate issues on the back burner. Well, the U.S. is back in the Paris Agreement, with even loftier goals for lowering emissions and, with a new administration, comes a new dedication by individuals and government agencies to save the planet. 

James Gennaro served on the City Council serving parts of Queens from 2002 until he was term limited out in 2013. In February, he won his seat again, long with the place he held before as Chair of the Environmental Protection Committee. He joins In Focus to talk about what has changed in the past eight years, for better or worse.

He says he’s happy that the plan to reduce greenhouse gases is moving ahead with even bigger reduction numbers, but says we are no better prepared to withstand a climate-related weather even like Superstorm Sandy than we were in 2012. 

Assemblyman Robert Carroll represents parts of Brooklyn and sits on the Committee for Environmental Protection. He says that, while he recognized the federal rollbacks in protections for the environment over the last years, he says New York State has been home to landmark legislation protecting the environment.

Carroll points to the 2019 Community Protection Act, which legislates an 80% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050.

He also speaks to fight to remove dirty power plants that are especially prevalent in communities of color, and talks about his belief that the new Biden administration will help make New York’s goals the goals of the nation.