Even though New York is on course to miss its climate objectives, her congestion pricing halt is still contentious, and legislators and advocates are waiting for her signature on the Climate Superfund Act and other bills, Gov. Kathy Hochul is being praised as a “climate superhero” at New York City Climate Week.

Governor Kathy Hochul.Photo byGovernor Kathy Hochul From Flickr

Together with fellow governors Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico and Jay Inslee of Washington, Hochul announced a new climate workforce project through the U.S. Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of governors led by Grisham and Hochul that focuses on environmental issues.

The three governors were referred to as a trio of courageous climate superheroes by Casey Katims, executive director of the alliance. As a tribute to these three governors, he added, New York, Washington, and New Mexico have demonstrated to the rest of the country the benefits of climate action for our economy, communities, and health.

Not The Iron Man

However, many New Yorkers do not view her as the Iron Man to climate change's Thanos outside of the Climate Week event. The governor's accolades were instantly met with derision from Hochul's numerous opponents of climate change.

According to Liz Moran, northeast policy advocate at Earthjustice, If she wants to be a climate superhero, she needs to be bold and act in the public interest by moving forward with congestion pricing and adopting strong climate policies through executive action and in her upcoming (state) budget.

Hochul's decision to halt congestion pricing was criticized by Moran, who also pointed out that the governor recently acknowledged that the state will not meet its climate targets.