NEW YORK, Oct 29, 2007 -- Comtex

New York City is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from city-owned buildings by 30 percent, or more than a million metric tons a year, by 2017, local media reported Monday.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he had named a committee to oversee the implementation of an executive order aimed at bringing about the cuts.

"When it comes to combating climate change, city government has a duty to lead the way," Bloomberg said in his weekly radio address Sunday.

New York City will invest 80 million dollars to decrease energy consumption and increase energy efficiency by July next year, Bloomberg said, adding that investments on a similar scale are expected in the coming years.

As the emissions account for nearly two-thirds of the city government's discharges of carbon dioxide, New York City will upgrade its existing mechanical and electrical systems, he said.

"City agencies will also continue to make their vehicle fleets 'greener'," the mayor added.

"Because of the energy savings they'll produce, these investments will pay off economically as well as environmentally for every New Yorker," he said.

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