NYC Carbon Footprint: Imagining Gotham's Greenhouse Gas Emissions As One-Ton Spheres (VIDEO)

Mayor Bloomberg's endorsement of President Obama for reelection, written days after Sandy caused widespread devastation to the five boroughs, rested specifically on the issue of climate change.

And in his last year as mayor of Gotham, you can expect a lot more talk on the subject from hizzoner, whose post-City Hall career could very well involve climate change activism.

In an effort to remind everyone of his 2007 goal to reduce carbon emissions by more than 30 percent by 2030, a new study has been released showing the city's gas emissions declining faster than originally targeted. At this pace, Bloomberg could see the goal reached as early as 2017.

The research, conducted by the Office of Long Term Planning and Sustainability, also issued a video detailing the urgency surrounding a more sustainable agenda. Nearly two tons of carbon dioxide emissions are released into the city every second, 75 percent of which comes from buildings.

In 2010, according to the report, New York City emitted 54 million metric tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.

The above video imagines that one ton of CO2 emissions would fill a turquoise sphere, about 33 feet across. As tons and tons of CO2 is released, watch as Manhattan becomes completely covered in a mountain of turquoise.

[VIA Mashable]