ITHACA, N.Y. (WENY) -- Activists rallied together at Thompson Park to draw connections between local and state policy, in regard to Ithaca's Green New Deal.  

Climate Justice Cornell member Siobhan Hull helped organize the rally. Hull wanted to bring people together to celebrate the launch of the New York Renews Climate, Jobs, and Justice Package.  

“That is a bill package that is being housed within New York Renew...and it's a package of eight bills that is attempting to fund and implement the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which was passed in 2019,” she said. “It's New York State's climate law.” 

Hull said Ithaca's Green New Deal sets ambitious climate and equity goals for the community. She added, it is important for people to take action to make those goals happen. 

“A lot of those goals are for 2030 which...well it does it does seem like we have a few years left...it's actually approaching pretty rapidly and we're not really on track to meet a lot of these goals,” she said. “There is a need for the city to take a lot more ambitious and fast-pace action.”  

 Hull said she wants the city to be taking bigger steps towards achieving that goal. 

“Climate change is not really an abstract threat but it's something that is already impacting our community and other communities around the world,” she said. “As a state that has the potential to pass really progressive policies, I think it's our responsibility to act as a leader in passing climate policies.” 

 Hull believes that advancing the mandates of New York's Climate Act starts with investing in low-income communities around Ithaca. 

“I think it's really imperative that, as we pass funding packages, that...we follow through on that commitment and make sure that we're accountable for funding those disadvantaged communities,” she said.