Daniel A. Zarrilli

Daniel Zarrilli is the first-ever Chief Climate & Sustainability Officer at Columbia University where he is leading and coordinating the University’s wide-ranging efforts to achieve its climate commitments and related sustainability goals. This includes overseeing the implementation and delivery of Columbia’s Plan 2030 sustainability strategy, serving as an expert advisor to University climate-related policy development initiatives, and developing productive relationships with interested stakeholders across the University community. He chairs a new University Steering Committee for Climate Action and will collaborate with external partners to support Columbia’s actions. He also serves as a critical advisor to the University's senior leadership on climate action and sustainability matters and is a part of the Chief Operating Officer’s leadership team.

He served previously as Special Advisor for Climate and Sustainability where he supported the creation of the Columbia Climate School and advised the University on institutional climate action. He joined Columbia University from the NYC Mayor’s Office, where he served until 2021 in the role of Chief Climate Policy Advisor.

With senior climate and resilience appointments from Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Mayor Bill de Blasio over eight years, Daniel positioned New York City as the global leader in the fight against climate change. Notable successes include launching a comprehensive $20 billion climate adaptation program, enacting Local Law 97 to decarbonize the city’s most polluting buildings, divesting the City’s pension funds from fossil fuel reserve owners and investing billions into climate solutions, securing new clean energy transmission to serve the five boroughs, and launching a ground-breaking program to embed environmental justice into the City’s decision-making.

Under his leadership in 2019, New York City released its updated long-term strategic plan, OneNYC 2050, which included bold new actions to confront our climate crisis, address health and wealth inequities, and strengthen our democracy. He also served on NOAA’s advisory committee for the Sustained National Climate Assessment, concluded a 3-year term on FEMA’s National Advisory Council, and advised the State of Louisiana on its 2017 Coastal Master Plan update. He recently completed serving as an author on the Fifth National Climate Assessment, is a member of the New York Independent System Operator’s Environmental Advisory Council, advises the C40 Centre for City Climate Policy and Economy, and serves as a Mayoral appointee on the NYC Water Board.