We’re all stunned. After running a campaign dominated by lies, false promises, hate, and scapegoating, Donald Trump will soon become the 47th president of the United States.  His threats were out in the open: Trump described his political opponents as “enemies from within,” promised to deport millions of hardworking people — some of whom are our family and neighbors — and repeated the “drill, baby, drill” slogan ad nauseam. But rest assured we won’t let Trump and his billionaire friends destroy our democratic institutions, curtail our civil liberties, and derail our quest for economic, racial, and climate justice without a fight.  As we did during his first term, New Yorkers must unite in a broad coalition of people-powered movements, civic organizations, and political forces to defend those targeted by the far right. And when it comes to the battle against global warming, we’ll continue to aggressively decarbonize our city, build a union climate economy and protect New Yorkers from escalating climate impacts. In fact, this plan is already in motion.  New York City and State have two of the most ambitious climate policies in the country, and both bills became law in 2019, during the Trump era. The New York State Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) established ambitious and legally binding targets to transition New York’s economy off fossil fuels completely; the New York City Council passed a number of bills, including the Climate Mobilization Act, which includes Local Law 97, designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the city’s largest buildings. COP29, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, began yesterday under the shadow of Trump’s embarrassing climate denialism. At stake during the upcoming talks are the future of the loss and damage fund, designed to help developing countries deal with the effects of climate change, and the submission of legally-binding Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) designed to limit global warming. But Trump’s promise to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, scrap climate laws, and expand oil drilling — even in the face of a global slowdown in oil demand — could hamper the significant progress we’ve achieved so far While the transition to a green economy is irreversible, the speed and scale in which we adopt renewable technology matters a great deal. The recently released annual UN Emissions Gap Report spells out what’s at stake: “Nations must accelerate action now…. If they do not, the Paris Agreement target of holding global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius will be dead within a few years and 2 degrees Celsius will take its place in the intensive care unit.” But not all hope is lost. As the chair of the state Senate Labor Committee, I have worked with Cornell University’s Climate Jobs Institute to make sure the energy transition lowers energy costs, leads to new green jobs, and protects workers from impacts linked to global warming like extreme heat and floods.  Two bills I’ve recently drafted and co-sponsored, the Jobs and Housing Act and the New York State Build Public Renewables Act, tackle the climate crisis, address New York’s urgent housing shortage, and create well-paying construction jobs that utilize project labor agreements. And the amendment to New York’s environmental conservation law, mandating applicants for major projects located near disadvantaged communities to submit enhanced public participation plans, will address the environmental racism that has hurt the lives of thousands of New York families and children. Labor, housing, and environmental issues are deeply interconnected and demand a holistic approach. Last year, I introduced a bill aimed at protecting all workers, including undocumented immigrants, from extreme temperatures. And I also co-sponsored legislation that requires companies that have significantly contributed to global warming to contribute to a fund dedicated to climate adaptation and recovery. (The bill is currently waiting for Gov. Hochul’s signature.) I simply won’t allow hardworking taxpayers to get stuck with the climate bill, while oil companies post record-breaking profit margins. Once the dust settles, we’ll need to double down on our efforts to protect the most vulnerable and imagine a city and state that prioritizes economic, racial and climate justice over profits.  I’m running to be New York City’s next mayor because I believe in the ingenuity and the character of our people. Let’s remind our fellow citizens why New York is the most visited city in the United States, the host of the United Nations headquarters, and still seen as the capital of the world. Ramos is a state senator from Queens and candidate for mayor in 2025