New York ‘Green New Deal’ and marijuana legalization in the spotlight

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is scheduled to give his annual State of the State address and unveil his budget proposal this afternoon. Two of Cuomo’s proposals likely to be discussed are New York’s adoption of a “Green New Deal” to stamp out the state’s carbon footprint by 2040 and a plan to legalize recreational adult marijuana use in the state.

Lara Skinner, executive director of the Worker Institute at Cornell University, is a member of New York State’s Environmental Justice and Just Transition Working Group as well the state’s Offshore Wind Ports Workforce Development Committee. She is an expert on labor and employment issues related to sustainability, climate protection and climate protection policy.

Skinner is available for interviews to discuss the state’s climate and energy work.

Bio: https://www.ilr.cornell.edu/people/lara-skinner

Skinner says:

“In the past year, New York began implementing a Green New Deal by scaling up investment in clean energy sectors and creating high-quality renewable energy jobs that make our communities healthier and more equitable. In 2018, New York state was the first state in the country to require Project Labor Agreements for all offshore wind projects.

“Governor Cuomo has the opportunity in 2019 to double-down on the state’s commitment to tackling climate change and inequality by making New York state a leading center of the offshore wind industry with state of the art ports and manufacturing facilities.”

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John Cawley, professor of policy analysis & management, and economics is co-director of Cornell's Institute on Health Economics, Health Behaviors and Disparities. He is an expert on the economics of risky health behaviors.

Cawley is available for interviews about marijuana and public health as well as impacts of recreational marijuana for New York state.

Bio: https://www.human.cornell.edu/people/jhc38

Cawley says: 

“Creating a well-functioning recreational marijuana market is not like simply flipping on a light switch. A large number of regulations must be put in place to facilitate use that would increase social welfare while preventing harmful use that would lower it.

“The economic perspective is that well-designed regulations seek to maximize social welfare by minimizing the influence of ‘market failures.’  In marijuana markets, these would fall into several categories: provide missing information, minimize negative externalities, and prevent mistaken usage.

“With careful regulations that facilitate informed use while limiting harmful or mistaken use, legal recreational marijuana markets can enhance the social welfare of New York state.”