Urgency and Unity Dominate Climate Week NYC themes

As Broadway shows reopen after their long hiatus, New York hosted a stage with far less entertaining content last week. Climate Week NYC, a hybrid in-person/virtual gathering, ran simultaneously with the UN’s General Assembly, which also featured sessions on addressing climate change. Both are setting the stage for November’s UN Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow that is poised to build on and accelerate 2015’s Paris Accord.

The word “dire” came up frequently at both sessions as a descriptor of the current situation. Countries are not on track to meet Paris goals, nor spend money in the poorer economies that will suffer most from global warming. The recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is damning.

But there were also reasons for optimism as speakers consistently emphasized the need for stakeholders such as governments and businesses to come together. For example, several announcements showcased government action. These included the Biden administration pledging over $11 billion to developing economies by the end of 2024 and New York governor Kathy Hochul announcing a new renewable energy infrastructure program. China also promised to stop building coal powered plants abroad (if not at home).

A Holistic Approach