The New York City Council on Thursday took a major step toward implementing a pillar of the Green New Deal, the aggressive blueprint for addressing climate change supported by U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.

The council passed a bill that requires large buildings to meet new standards aimed at reducing their carbon footprint. The bill aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions from the city's buildings by 40% over the next decade.

That will require many building owners to take measures to make them more energy efficient.

The bill is packaged with several other green initiatives in the Climate Mobilization Act and was passed ahead of Earth Day, which is Monday.

Lawmakers say the bill will help New York achieve its goal of slashing overall greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent below 2005 levels by 2050.

It is also a response to the federal government's "surrender" in the fight against global warming under President Donald Trump, said council member Costa Constantinides, who introduced the bill.

The legislation aligns with one of the topline goals in Ocasio-Cortez's plan. Her Green New Deal, which would overhaul the nation's economy, calls for retrofitting all buildings for energy efficiency within 10 years.