Governor should sign bill to protect trees and protect ourselves

As the effects of climate change and deforestation ravage the planet, New York has the chance to play a key role in creating clean air, filtering water, sustaining wildlife, and regulating agricultural cycles that we depend on for stability and health.

How? By enacting the TREES Act. The bill, which recently passed both the State Senate and the Assembly, expands the focus beyond planting new trees to protecting existing ones from being cut down, optimizing the irreplaceable benefits that old-growth forests, particularly tropical ones, provide for biodiversity and carbon sequestration everywhere.

Even better, these measures come at no cost to New York families. We can save the rainforest and create opportunities for local businesses, and it won’t cost consumers a dime. That’s a win-win-win.

During her State of the State address in January, Gov. Kathy Hochul promised to plant 25 million trees by 2033 to help mitigate the risks of climate change. It's a notable step but falls short of New York's broader climate strategy, which suggests a goal of 680 million trees by 2040 to keep rising emissions in check. This stark difference in numbers raises an important question: Are we doing enough?

If we look at the numbers globally, likely not. Millions of acres of tropical forests, vital carbon sinks and biodiversity hot spots are lost annually, often cleared for agriculture by multinational corporations. The TREES Act would ensure that New York State is no longer part of this problem by purchasing only forest-safe products and rewarding companies that employ sustainable forest practices, which most New York-based agricultural businesses largely do already.

The TREES Act mimics measures already enacted by the European Union. Since New York would be the first state to employ these standards, New York businesses would have a leg up on meeting requirements for access to EU markets. This is a critical part of proactive and protective regulation. Implementing these standards would prevent the disconnect that often arises across government stakeholders, creating mixed market signals, delaying crucial progress, and inflating the costs of action in avoidable ways.

Aligning all branches of New York’s government in this environmental endeavor is critical. Global meat giant JBS was recently caught lying to New York consumers about cutting its carbon footprint while actually increasing it. While Attorney General Letitia James’ litigation revealed these bad-faith actors and actions, the TREES Act could have helped prevent it.

In addition, the push by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli and New York City Comptroller Brad Lander for shareholder resolutions to adopt and enforce stronger deforestation policies demonstrates that New York political leaders understand that it is far more costly to destroy global forests as natural barriers to runaway climate change than to preserve them.

Last year, a different version of the TREES Act passed both houses with strong bipartisan majorities and overwhelming support from a wide range of public stakeholders. Hochul vetoed it, concerned about the burden on businesses. The updated bill responds to Hochul’s concerns, giving state vendors a longer ramp-up, ensuring they have clear guidance about how to comply, and providing short-term exemptions.

It’s time to sign the TREES Act. New Yorkers deserve the chance to help shape the global economy, to be a leader in mitigating climate change and protecting biodiversity. Gov. Hochul can lead that charge.

This guest essay reflects the views of Robert Sweeney, a Lindenhurst resident and board member of Environmental Advocates NY who served in the Assembly for 27 years, the last seven as chairman of the Committee on Environmental Conservation.