WXY’s data analytics, analysis and graphic visualizations served to transform complex climate data into clear, impactful data visualizations and illustrations for the PlaNYC: Getting Sustainability Done plan. Using visual storytelling, we brought the city’s ambitious targets to life, making sustainability feel tangible and the plan accessible and engaging for all New Yorkers.  

As climate impacts intensify, vulnerable communities across New York City continue to experience disproportionate harm from extreme heat, flooding, and poor air quality. PlaNYC set out to address environmental threats and long-standing inequities in health, housing, and economic opportunity.    The challenge was creating a strategy that would go beyond reducing emissions to improve all residents’ quality of life. WXY was responsible for the data analysis and visual presentation underpinning the City’s strategy. Achieving this goal required mapping, analyzing, and illustrating actionable solutions, such as expanding green spaces, decarbonizing housing, and boosting job growth in green industries while ensuring the benefits reached by those most affected. 

By collaborating with MOCEJ and consultants like BJH Advisors, WXY developed data-driven maps and infographics as well as illustrative drawings of sustainable solutions to communicate the city’s ambitious climate goals. These visuals showcase how initiatives like expanding tree canopies, creating resilient waterfronts, and installing solar infrastructure can transform neighborhoods. By connecting policy goals with relatable, everyday benefits—such as cleaner air, safer streets, and healthier homes—WXY ensured the plan was informative, inspiring, and easy to understand. The design approach emphasized clear visual narratives, making policy details digestible while showcasing how a sustainable future would look. WXY’s visuals highlighted community impacts, such as job creation in green sectors and greater access to public green spaces, reinforcing the message that sustainability is a shared journey. 

The success of PlaNYC hinged on deep collaboration across city agencies, community stakeholders, and advisory boards. Our approach centered on translating insights from public engagement into visual formats that reflect New Yorkers’ voices, opinions, and insights. By working closely with MOCEJ and the Sustainability Advisory Board, we helped bridge the gap between policymakers and communities, ensuring that the plan was both aspirational and grounded in local realities.  

PlaNYC: Getting Sustainability Done is more than a policy document—it’s a call to action for a greener, more equitable New York. Our visual storytelling was central to making the plan accessible, turning abstract goals into a concrete vision that city residents can rally behind. By focusing on clarity and inspiration, WXY helped catalyze support for initiatives like green job training, expanded tree coverage, and resilient waterfronts. This visual approach informs and empowers communities to see themselves as part of the city’s sustainable future.