Photo Guide to Climate Change in NYC

Download (below) the new Photo Guide to Climate Change in NYC. Hundreds of photos throughout New York City that highlight how the Big Apple is combating climate change.

January 2025 - Download for free “A Photo Guide to Climate Change in NYC" by Doug Fox.

This new photo guide answers a simple question:

What does climate change look like in New York City in 2025?

View over 280 full-sized color pictures taken from the waterways and neighborhoods of the city. This two-volume 336-page PDF publication is divided into twenty-five chapters (the table of contents is below) and captions are included with each photo.

(La versión en español de esta guía fotográfica sobre el cambio climático en Nueva York estará disponible en marzo de 2025 - The Spanish version of this guide will be available in March 2025.)

Scroll down to learn about future editions of this photo guide, and how to submit feedback, corrections and story ideas.

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Download Free PDF Ebook

Visit Google Drive folder to download PDF files directly or click on the links below:

Volume I (Sections 1-12) (44.4 MB)

Volume II (Sections 13-25) (49.3 MB)

Next Edition

The downloads above are for the preliminary version of this two-volume digital publication. The target date for the expanded paid version is towards the end of 2025. This upcoming version will include credits for project contributors and extended notes for each image.

Stories, feedback and Corrections

If you would like to recommend sites, topics and stories for the next edition, please send an email.

If you would like to share your feedback and corrections, please email as well.

In either case, send your email to Doug: stories@nycclimatechange.com

Table of Contents

This 336-page photo guide is divided into 25 chapters:

  1. Introduction - Part I:
    New York is home to the modern environmental movement

  2. Introduction - Part II:
    New York City is an economic powerhouse built with fossil fuels

  3. The Daunting Challenge:
    We must turn on a dime to contend with multiple climate change threats
    as we simultaneously decarbonize the economy

  4. The Elephant in the Room:
    Trump wins a second term and the impact on NYC’s transition to a green economy

  5. NYC Tide Cycle:
    Tide variations, spring tides and sunny day flooding

  6. After Superstorm Sandy: Build, Rebuild or Retreat?:
    The future of low-lying shoreline neighborhoods

  7. Hurricane Ida and a New Set of Risks:
    Inland neighborhoods battered by torrential rainfalls

  8. Fortifying the Shoreline - Part I:
    Municipal, state and federal projects

  9. Fortifying the Shoreline - Part II:
    Buildings, institutions and public housing

  10. Fortifying the Shoreline - Part III:
    Beaches, parks, wetlands and nature-based solutions

  11. Sustainable Landscaping Practices:
    Drip irrigation, wild meadows and and pocket forests

  12. Heat - The Number One Threat:
    Parks, trees, green roofs, shade structures and mist

  13. Decarbonizing the Built Environment:
    Sustainable buildings, energy efficiency and new regulations

  14. Building Enclosures:
    Regulating indoor temperature, reducing energy loads and protecting wildlife

  15. Powering the City:
    Decarbonizing the electrical grid

  16. Investing in Climate Tech:
    Companies, educational institutions and NYC develop technologies to
    combat climate change

  17. Climate Change Disparities:
    Addressing the many challenges of climate change in an equitable manner

  18. Droughts and Wildfires:
    Extended periods without rain pose risks to NYC

  19. Watersheds Provide Fresh Drinking Water to NYC:
    We consume one billion gallons of water per day

  20. Wastewater Treatment Plants:
    NYC’s combined sewer system and building gray and green stormwater
    infrastructure

  21. Water Transport of Solid Waste and Recyclables:
    Reducing greenhouse gases and pollution

  22. The Active Harbor:
    Decarbonizing ports and vessels and contending with climate change

  23. Threats to Transportation Infrastructure:
    Bridges, tunnels and public transportation already at risk from heat,
    flooding and salt water

  24. Prioritizing People Over Cars (and Bikes):
    Reconfiguring our public spaces and investing in public transportation

  25. Urban Farms:
    Growing fruits and vegetables in the city