By Jill Colvin
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
UPPER EAST SIDE — Former President Bill Clinton and Mayor Michael Bloomberg have joined forces in the fight against climate change.
The two announced Wednesday that the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, which Bloomberg chairs, and the Clinton Climate Initiative have merged to form what they hope will become "the preeminent climate action organization in the world."
"I am elated by this. I think we really have a chance to make a difference," Clinton told reporters at a press conference at Gracie Mansion, where he stressed that the key to making others go green is convincing them that what's good for the environment is also good for their bottom lines.
He pointed to the Empire State Building as an example of the financial benefits of investing in green technology. He said the building, which is the oldest LEED-certified building in the world, is expected to cut its energy bills by nearly 40 percent thanks to retrofitting.
While the work required an investment, the building is expected to pay off the cost in just four year and half years, he said — saving money and creating hundreds of jobs in the process.
"This is the kind of thing we can do everywhere," he said.
Bloomberg stressed that it's up to individual cities to lead the charge against climate change, noting that cities generate over 80 percent of the world's greenhouse gases.
"Climate change is an urgent challenge and the world's cities have a powerful responsibility to address that," he said.
The C40 is an association of cities that joined to find new ways to reduce waste and carbon emissions.
Bloomberg was elected chair of the group last year.
