New York Climate Week Begins With Over 1,000 Events Across The City

New York Climate Week 2025 has officially started. With more than 1,000 events happening across the city, this year is the most ambitious edition yet. The Big Apple is marking its 400th anniversary while the United States is preparing for its 250th. The theme of this year’s event is “Power On for Climate Action.” It is visible everywhere, from large-scale policy gatherings to street-level music and art. NYC Tourism lit the city skyline green to mark the kickoff and published a Green NYC guide that showcases sustainable panels, rooftop gardens, eco-markets, and public installations.

One of the opening highlights was AY Young’s Battery Tour concert in Times Square. Powered entirely by clean energy, the performance marked his 961st show on the Road to 1000 concert series. The tour is part of his official Guinness World Record attempt for the most renewable-powered shows.

Global Leaders Headline This Year’s Climate Week

The speaker list includes Ed Miliband (Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change of the United Kingdom), Simon Stiell (Executive Secretary, UNFCCC), H.E. Gaston Browne (Prime Minister, Antigua and Barbuda), Damilola Ogunbiyi (Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and CEO of Sustainable Energy for All), Ana Toni (COP30 CEO), André Correa do Lago (President-Designate, COP30), Chris Bowen MP (Australia’s Minister for Climate Change and Energy), and more. They are joined by a broad group of funders, climate innovators, and nonprofit leaders. Live streaming, real-time blog coverage, and social updates on LinkedIn and Instagram offer multiple ways to follow the week.

The opening ceremony included a look back at progress since the Paris Agreement. Ten years ago, some worst-case scenarios projected global temperatures could rise by up to five degrees by the end of the century. Thanks to increased climate action and updated projections, that estimate under current policies has dropped to around three degrees. The shift is not enough, but it shows that negotiation and implementation can shape outcomes.

During the opening event at Hub Live, actor and activist Mark Ruffalo received applause when he stated:

“There are 80 million people in America today who know that climate change is real, that it’s actually affecting our lives, that it’s caused by us, by burning carbon, and that we need to do something to change it for our grandchildren and future generations. We have an enormous amount of power, and we need our elected officials to tap into it. Have the guts to tap into it and build coalitions. This issue touches everything. If you want to talk about the cost of living, it’s climate change. Working conditions, climate change. If you want to talk about solutions, the transition, and the jobs it will create, it’s climate change.

So I’m asking, we need courage from our leadership. But it’s not a big leap, because the public is already there. The power is already there. The problem is the fear that comes with the paradigm we’re living in. We have a president who denies climate change and a fossil fuel industry that has gone completely off the rails with lies, money, and fear. But if there’s one thing this moment requires, it is for us to drop our fear, raise our voices, and speak the truth we all know.”

Many Reasons to Attend NY Climate Week

Each person comes to Climate Week with different goals. Some are looking to deepen relationships, others are searching for inspiration or to share new work.

Apoorv Bhargava – CEO and co-founder of WeaveGrid

“This is my second time attending NYCW after last year. I expect it to be more focused on the actual dynamics of the market and the realities of macro volatility, and of course with a strong focus on AI data centers and how various solutions can help. Last year was full of optimism about what could be, but this year there’s a clear flight to companies with real business plans adjusting to the current environment. I’m personally very excited because lots of investors see what WeaveGrid is doing and how we’re scaling, and these feel like quality interactions.”

Aria Kovalovich – Former Senate staffer, current Columbia SIPA student

“As a former climate policy staffer on Capitol Hill for seven years, my “climate network” is dominated by U.S.-based, federal policy professionals. I attend climate week to reconnect with a more global network, and think through non-policy, non U.S. centric approaches to tackling the climate crisis and advancing the energy transition. It is a very volatile time for both our climate and energy systems, and cross sector collaboration are more important than ever as global livelihoods and economies are increasingly disrupted by AI, climate-driven natural disasters, rapid policy changes, and tectonic shifts in geopolitical realities.”

Mishal Thadani – CEO and co-founder of Rhizome

“The aperture of NYCW has broadened over the last few years, appealing to more and more industries, investors, and technologists. I’ve been particularly intrigued by the growing focus on climate adaptation as a subset of a more holistic approach to solving the climate challenge. There are so many events that uniquely bring together typically disparate stakeholders, and, in the past, I’ve found that they’re a breeding ground for creativity. My only advice: Be selective about the events you attend, and don’t burn yourself out! Take advantage of one-on-one conversations with old friends and colleagues in the space, perhaps over a manhattan.”

Linnan Cao – Climate sector explorer

“I am attending New York Climate Week because of many reasons. One, I heard it is the biggest climate week and I have always wanted to attend it. Two, I have attended London Climate Week and SF Climate Week, so I wonder what makes NY Climate Week different and if it will be better. If so, in which ways? I am trying to find out more about the sector and which specific cause I want to focus on. I think attending many events this week will help build that knowledge and insight. I enjoy meeting new people and learning, so this is a great opportunity to develop professionally with fun and good energy!”

Climate Week Is Open and Decentralized

What makes Climate Week distinctive is the way it is structured. Events are independently organized, and the majority are free or low-cost. This creates a culture of open participation. There are no high barriers to entry. A rooftop salon, a museum walk, or a startup showcase can hold just as much influence as a mainstage keynote. This format creates a space that functions more like a movement than a traditional conference. Climate Week NYC is permissionless by design. People do not need to wait for approval or authority to contribute. That openness helps surface creativity and build unexpected alliances.

The first Climate Week took place in New York in 2009, and the format has since inspired similar programs across the world. DC Climate Week, launched in 2024, is one of the most recent examples. Other cities such as London and San Francisco have adapted the model to reflect local priorities while keeping the spirit of open coordination. Climate Week continues to grow because it stays close to the ground. It invites people from all walks of life to step into climate work. Whether the focus is music, data centers, wine bars, or clean energy finance, the week creates space for each person to move the conversation forward.