Flooded NYSE

↑ Carbon Zero City includes a proposed micro, urban world's fair, opened with a tall ships event.

The climate crisis is code red

Heat waves strain grids and have cause deaths in cities including Paris; floods threaten Miami, while hurricanes cripple cities like New Orleans and Ashville; rising seas displace millions from Jakarta and Dhaka; air pollution spikes respiratory illness in Delhi and Beijing; water shortages hit Cape Town and threaten Phoenix; extreme weather disrupts supply chains in Houston and Shenzhen; urban heat islands worsen emissions in Tokyo and New York; wildfires destroy homes near Sydney and Los Angeles.

Much is already being baked in.

No single solution exists — what is needed, and what Carbon Zero City will be, is the mother of all marketing and deployment engines to address the urban climate crisis.

ATMOSPHERIC CO2
In 2024 Surpassed 427 ppm, and the rate of increase is accelerating (Mauna Loa, NASA)

TEMPERATURE
2023 was the planet’s warmest year on record (source: NOAA.) Temperatures continue to rise to the 1.5°C threshold.

RISING SEAS
Damage infrastructure, disrupt transport, and threaten drinking water through saltwater intrusion (NASA, NOAA).

(click on the graphic to enlarge)
Carbon Zero logo

MISSION:
TRANSFORM fidi INTO A CARBON ZERO CAPITAL

Carbon Zero logo

OBJECTIVES

Build a powerful marketing and deployment engine to accelerate urban-oriented climate responses worldwide; enable critical innovation to cross the chasm; create an investment magnet for more climate responses.

Supercharge NYC’s, and FiDi's, economy by creating a carbon-zero economic cluster; drive demand for FiDi's vacant office space; create a wide array of jobs and generate significant tax revenue in NYC; create an economic powerhouse for the region.

Carbon Zero logo

Focus on the costs of, and the potential economic opportunity from responding to, the crisis. The carbon-zero economy has the potential to surpass $12.3 trillion in annual sales by 2030. 

US$1.4 trillion, almost matching the GDP of Australia. As sustainability becomes a priority, this economic sector represents an unparalleled growth opportunity, potentially rivaling entire nations economically.' ); renderComponent( "diverse", "DIVERSE", "Industrial Spectrum", "visual/barcharts/industries-left.svg", "The carbon-zero economy spans a wide industrial spectrum (source: McKinsey).", 'The carbon-zero movement influences a broad range of industries—energy, transportation, construction, manufacturing, and technology. Leading the way in this shift are renewable energy, electric vehicles, and sustainable practices, positioning the carbon-zero economy as a key driver of innovation and expansive market growth.' ); renderComponent( "gdp-v-cost", "GDP V COST", "Cost of Inaction", "visual/index/gdp-vs-cost.svg", "The cost of inaction underscores the urgency of the carbon-zero economy (source: Potsdam Institute).", 'The economic toll of the climate crisis continues to rise, outpacing some national GDPs. In 2023, climate-related disasters resulted in over $300 billion in economic losses, surpassing Finland’s GDP. As the impact of climate change grows, inaction proves far more costly than investments in sustainable solutions. According to Swiss Re\'s Sigma Report, these economic losses have hit record highs.' ); ?>
(click on the graphic to enlarge)

Establish an urban-oriented, carbon-zero economic cluster, a network of businesses, suppliers, and institutions driving carbon-zero solutions. A cluster is based on the carbon zero economy.  More...

economy cluster city
Clusters worldwide

The Carbon Zero Cluster
is Based on a Widely Proven Urban Economic Concept. 

 

Create many ways for prospective sellers to connect with prospective buyers. Showcases, exhibits, and events for businesses, government, academia, and the public worldwide.

Buy-sell diagram

Be the marketing front end for the hundreds of urban-oriented and climate-focused incubators worldwide. What these incubators needs, but have been missing is a supercharged marketing and deployment engine. Carbon Zero City will be a supercharged marketing and deployment engine.

deployment
Incubators worldwide

Part of the Carbon Zero market
will be incubators from around the world.

 

Establish an urban, carbon zero trade mart where businesses, suppliers, and innovators can showcase products and solutions, and where buyers, investors, and government entities can explore them. Complementing the mart will be  trade shows. More... 

Attract business
Promote products

Focus on deployment. This means enabling critical products and services to cross the chasm, partnering with top AE firms, the UN, and NGOs.

deploy deploy

CROSSING THE CHASM

Create robust and diverse revenue streams to cover up front and operational costs.  Examples include program, exhibit and naming right sponsors, OOH/DOOH, as well as virtual sources (app, metaverse). More on revenues...

revenues
Carbon Zero logo

TACTICS:
Making It Happen

Identify vacant office space in FiDi for showrooms and offices. Carbon Zero City projects direct demand of 2 million square feet, and knoc- on demand of an additional 3, for a total direct and indirect demand of 5 million square feet. More...

End

Craft a Compelling Pitch to Property Owners, Corporations, and Key Stakeholders on the Financial Benefits of this Initiative. Transforming vacant spaces into vibrant showrooms offers a lucrative solution for properties struggling to attract traditional tenants.

Building Owners
Play a critical role in transforming FiDi by investing in renovations, sustainability upgrades, and converting commercial spaces into residential or mixed-use properties.
Corporations
Contribute to FiDi’s transformation by supporting economic growth, adopting sustainable practices, and fostering innovation in the area through partnerships and investments.
Residents
Drive demand for amenities, green spaces, and services, influencing the development of a more livable, sustainable, and vibrant community in FiDi.
Non Governmental Organizations
Advocate for environmental, social, and economic policies, helping ensure the transformation aligns with sustainable and inclusive development goals.
The City
Sets regulations, provides infrastructure, and offers incentives for sustainable development, playing a key role in shaping FiDi’s transformation.
The State
Supports large-scale infrastructure projects, offers funding and incentives, and helps set overarching policies that guide the transformation of FiDi.

Identify additional neighborhood assets. Assets include showrooms, exhibits, and common areas, with local businesses providing food. More...

Alleyways and Narrow Streets
Hidden gems like 6 Dutch Street.
Vacant Retail
Prime spots along Fulton and Nassau Streets, 22% vacancy (Broadsheet).
Public Spaces
Historic plazas like Golden Hill.
Under the FDR
Future park and flood protection projects under LMCR.
Vacant Land and Parking Lots
Gotham Parking and others for public exhibits.
Large Facilities
Winter Garden and Pier 17 for temporary events.
Educational Facilities
Summer projects at spaces like Pace University.
Privately Owned Public Spaces (POPS)
Accessible spaces like 59 Maiden Lane.
Street Parking Sheds
Inspired by NYC’s Open Restaurant Program.

Build a Carbon Zero event portfolio. Includes smaller gatherings, summits, and trade shows to connect buyers and sellers, accelerating solution deployment. More...

events
101 Greenwich

Partial SUMMARY OF BENEFITS from A CARBON ZERO CITY

Climate Crisis
Benefits

Carbon Zero City will accelerate a multifront response to the climate crisis. A powerful marketing engine built with a Trade Mart, virtual platforms, and events, will help accelerate the deployment of climate-related solutions to cities worldwide.

e3nyc
Climate Benefits
Expand product deployment
Scale up the adoption of carbon-zero products.
Help companies cross the chasm
Guide companies to commercial success.
Bring together experts
Foster collaboration among thought leaders.
Generate bold solutions
Drive transformative climate strategies.
Partner with AE firms
Collaborate for rapid deployment.
Create investment magnet
Attract significant investment into carbon-zero projects.
Leverage NYC’s creative class
Engage talent to build excitement and awareness.

NYC Economic
Benefits

Carbon Zero City will fuel NYC’s economic growth. It will attract carbon-zero businesses which in turn will  create jobs, and generate tax revenues, while boosting support industries like restaurants and retail. It will also drive demand for vacant office space, boost tourism, and generate broad regional  opportunities.  

General Economic Benefits
Drive economic benefits
Attract businesses, create jobs, and spur innovation.
Foster collaboration
Enable cooperation between companies, suppliers, and institutions.
Influx of investment
Increase demand for office space and boost tax revenues.
Ripple effect on local businesses
Support restaurants, retail, and services.
Enhance NYC’s global sustainability brand
Strengthen NYC as a leader in sustainability.
Complement existing initiatives
Align with PlaNYC, OneNYC, and City of Yes.
Address critical issues
Tackle NYCHA housing, migrant employment, and green jobs.
Integrate climate and economic solutions
Make climate resilience an economic engine for NYC.

Carbon Zero City will drive demand for vacant office space. Trade mart demand will create a 1.5 to 2.5x multiplier effect, benefiting local businesses.

Real Estate Benefits
Annual Increased Rent
for Property Owners		 $292,830,000
NPV over 10 years @ 7%
(Property Owners)		 $2,350,322,237
Employee Spending
from Increased Real Estate Demand		 $1,666,666,666
Indirect Employee Spending
from Increased Real Estate Demand		 $1,959,496,666
Total Employee Spending
from Increased Real Estate Demand		 $3,626,163,332
Property Taxes
from Increased Valuations		 $63,000,000
NPV over 10 years @ 7%
(Property Taxes)		 $503,565,729
Direct Job Creation
from Increased Real Estate Demand		 33,333 jobs
Indirect + Direct Job Creation
from Increased Real Estate Demand		 66,666 jobs

Carbon Zero City will boost tourism, including business visitors. Aligning with events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and NYC’s 400th anniversary will amplify tourism and global engagement.

NYC TOURISM  ECONOMIC Benefits
Job Creation
from Annual Tourism		 3,800 jobs
Job Creation
from a World's Fair		 38,000 jobs
Operational Job Creation
from a World's Fair		 N/A
Tourist Economic Impact
(Annual)		 $7,400,000
Tourist Economic Impact
(World's Fair)		 $74,000,000
NYC Sales Tax from Admissions
(Annual)		 $50,000,000
NYC Sales Tax from Admissions
(World's Fair)		 $2,100,000,000

Carbon Zero City will serve as a regional economic engine. While its core focus is in FiDi, the carbon-zero value chain can spread across the five boroughs, upstate, and the tri-state, driving broader regional growth.

value chain
Carbon Zero logo
william street

↑ Pedestrianized William Street, between Pine and Liberty Streets.

A Bold Response To An Urgent Crisis

Let's be bold.

Global temperature records are shattering. This spring (2024), CO2 levels hit 428 ppm, accelerating climate impacts: rising heat, sea levels, instability, mass migrations, and food shortages.

This proposal offers an urgent framework for large-scale climate solutions — not just an environmental necessity but a massive economic opportunity. It will create jobs, grow the economy, and position NYC as a leader in climate action.

Transforming FiDi into a carbon-zero cluster isn’t just ambitious — it’s essential for NYC’s economy and the global climate battle.

Now is the time for decisive action. For NYC. For the planet.

Carbon Zero logo