Joining forces to drive climate action
New York City, we are officially on our way… Because after a year in which we have seen some great achievements in the transition to a net zero future, one thing should be clear to us all - we’re not done yet. Not even close.
That is why as of today, on Earth Day, we’re gearing up for Climate Week NYC 2023, happening 17 to 24 September. It’s the time and place where business leaders, political decision takers, local change makers and civil society representatives – of all ages and backgrounds, from all over the world – gather to accelerate the transition, speed up progress, and champion the change that is already happening.
Because yes, the world has seen some great wins over the past year. Investments in renewables matched those in fossil fuels for the first time, at US $1.1 trillion in 2022. The US launched its Inflation Reduction Act with a value of $369 billion to combat climate change, and China and the EU are investing billions to boost green technology and energy security. Europe is moving away from gas, emissions in Europe and the US are slowly trending downward, and Climate Group’s members have put hundreds of thousands of EVs on the road. They’ve generated dozens of TWh in renewable energy, and reduced emissions over the annual output of the entire state of California.
Now that’s impact, and a clear sign that change is happening. It feels like the sun is setting on the fossil fuel era. But it’s setting far too slowly.
Vested interests and breaking barriers
Every day we all feel how hard change is, especially due to an energy crisis that has seen inflation skyrocket, ignited by the COVID-19 pandemic and the invasion of Ukraine. Despite all efforts, emissions are still rising globally, the use of fossil fuels is not coming down fast enough and many people, businesses and governments still have vested interests in fossil fuels. In addition, or possibly because of it, not all companies have fully committed to their transition yet - even though the cost of clean energy and EVs for example, is coming down by the day.
And then there is the March IPCC report, science’s final, stark warning for the coming years - the pace and scale of what has been done so far, and current plans, are insufficient to tackle climate change.
So, in a time where every tenth of a degree matters, and where heatwaves are already hitting Asia in early spring, we’re clearly not done yet. We’re just entering a new phase, in which we need to break down barriers, accelerate concrete action, and explore new opportunities and solutions.
During Climate Week NYC, we’ll focus on exactly that – how do we get from ambitious commitments to meaningful action that accelerates the transition. With a theme that reflects determination, the action we need to take today, the need to look ahead and the urgency to change our future:
We Can. We Will
Driving action at Climate Week NYC
This year Climate Week NYC, hosted by Climate group in partnership with the UN General Assembly and the City of New York, will be presenting a full program of some 400 events and activities. For those unable to attend in-person, we’ll be streaming key sessions throughout the week.
On Sunday 17 September, we’ll start with Climate Week NYC Opening Ceremony, the most high-profile moment of the week. It will feature major announcements, discussions, and interviews with international leadership from business, government, and the climate community, and address key questions such as:
- How will we meet the challenges of the latest IPCC report in the face of delays and the use of fossil fuels not coming down fast enough?
- What does deep, systemic change look and feel like? What are the next frontiers, and what are the opportunities?
- How can organizations prepare for a radically different economy?
On Monday and Tuesday, 18 and 19 September 2023, Climate Group hosts The Hub Live. Bringing together more than 1,000 of the most influential leaders from business, government, and the climate sector, The Hub Live aims to host a series of sessions addressing key themes including the built environment, transport, energy, and policy. We’ll keep you posted as the program evolves, so stay tuned for that.
And then there’s the Climate Week NYC Events. Spread across different locations, it will have an estimated 400 digital, physical and hybrid events across the five boroughs of New York City. The interactive program, which will go live in spring 2023, will be available through our website and our app. The majority of the events will be free, and open to all. For people looking to set up an event and become a part of Climate Week NYC – you can register here.
Together, we can unleash the strength and scale of businesses, governments, and the climate community to work on a just, systemic change by scaling up resources, skills, and our determination. We can drive down the use of fossil fuels, speed up the transition to net zero where we have the solutions, and look for new solutions where we don’t.
It may not always be easy, but We can. We will.
