At a Critical Climate Juncture, RMI Takes on Climate Week NYC
On Friday, September 20, and then again one week later, climate strikes are planned around the world in which hundreds of thousands of activated citizens are expected to step out of their schools, homes, and workplaces to gather to demand bold and immediate action on climate. The world is abuzz with climate urgency and the demand for solutions—and next week, all eyes will be on New York.
This is not just true because of climate activist Greta Thunberg (who arrived in New York’s Lower Manhattan on August 28 after sailing across the Atlantic), but also because a veritable who’s who of climate leadership—from policymakers to scientists and researchers, from leaders of NGOs to CEOs, and from youth activists to philanthropists from many nations—will be gathered in New York for the United Nations Climate Action Summit on September 23 and concurrently for Climate Week NYC 2019, which runs through September 29.
“With the Paris Agreement’s rulebook completed last December, the focus is now on the pace of change needed to hold global warming well below 2 degrees. This ultimately depends on whether nations, regions, cities, and businesses are setting ambitious enough goals and taking the steps necessary to meet them,” said Paul Bodnar, RMI managing director and a senior member of the US team that negotiated the Paris Agreement. “Ahead of a 2020 deadline for Paris Agreement parties to confirm or strengthen their national climate targets, the UN Secretary General is using this event to inject both pressure and confidence into the global political dialogue. RMI is at the forefront of the solutions space and will be there in force.”
With RMI’s global programs that cover topics related to the UN summit’s core pillars—which include the energy transition, industry, finance, cities and regional action, and resilience—the institute is well positioned to help inject pressure and confidence and then spur greater ambition. RMI is helping to demonstrate that the wind is at the back of the clean energy revolution. Our participation at a wide variety of Climate Week NYC meetings, convenings, and events gives us an important and necessary seat at the table to shape decisions aimed at accelerating the energy transition.
How can you engage with RMI during Climate Week NYC 2019? Here’s a snapshot of where we’ll be, and how to stay in the know.
1. Follow and Share
More than a dozen RMI experts will be sharing their perspectives, experiences, photos, and interviews on the ground at Climate Week. We encourage you to follow them on our Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook pages using #ClimateWeekNYC. Have a question for one of our staff members? Send it our way using #AskRMI.
Go deeper with timely and topical blog posts on RMI’s blog, and subscribe to RMI’s Spark e-newsletter to get the latest news and content on Climate Week NYC and beyond delivered directly to your inbox.
2. Join our Digital Events
Regardless of your location, you can participate in a variety of dialogues with RMI and industry experts online.
September 18, 1 p.m. ET
Facebook Live: The Accelerating Pace of the Energy Transition
Join RMI’s CEO Jules Kortenhorst, Electricity Principal Mark Dyson, and Managing Director James Newcomb for a Facebook Live event detailing new and emerging trends that signal a promising acceleration of the clean energy transition, and new disruptive strategies and market interventions to retire fossil fuel-based energy more quickly than we thought possible—including strategies detailed in RMI’s new report The Growing Market for Clean Energy Portfolios, and The Speed of the Energy Transition report just released by the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Energy. This event will serve as an exciting precursor to Climate Week NYC.
September 24, 9:30 a.m. ET
Facebook Live: Decarbonizing the Hardest-to-Abate Sectors
Join RMI and partners for a panel on decarbonizing steelmaking and other hard-to-abate sectors. Thomas Koch Blank, a principal in RMI’s Industry program will be joined by leaders from HYBRIT—a Swedish joint venture formed by SSAB, LKAB, and Vattenfall. HYBRIT aims to revolutionize steelmaking by using hydrogen to create the world’s first fossil-free steelmaking technology, with virtually no carbon footprint.Excitingly, Martin Lindqvist, CEO of SSAB will be one of three speakers from the Swedish delegation to the UN general assembly on Monday September 23th, together with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfvén and climate activist Greta Thunberg.
3. Join Us at Climate Week NYC
With hundreds of scheduled events it’s hard to keep track, but here’s a snapshot of some of the events at which you can find RMI experts in New York during Climate Week (note this list is being updated as participation is confirmed).
Saturday, September 21
- UN Climate Action Summit: Transformative Solutions—Next Generation Technology and the Youth Movement” Learn More: RMI Senior Fellow Iain Campbell will speak on the energy transition.
Sunday, September 22
- “Securing our Future: People, Food, and Nature Solving the Planetary Emergency” hosted by the Food and Land Use Coalition and the World Economic Forum Learn More
Monday, September 23
- The UN Climate Action Summit Learn More: During the event, RMI will attend the launch of NDC Partnership’s Climate Action Enhancement Package: Targeted, Fast-Track Support to Update and Implement NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement)
- Clean Capitalist Leadership Council’s Policy Briefing and Reception Learn More
Tuesday, September 24
- Clean Air Fund Launch (part of the UN General Assembly) Learn More
- The World Economic Forum’s Sustainable Development Impact Summit Learn More: During the event, RMI CEO Jules Kortenhorst will speak on a panel on The Energy Transition Commission’s report Mission Possible: Reaching net-zero carbon emissions from harder-to-abate sectors by mid-century.
- SEforALL Seven for 7 celebration of leadership and innovation Learn More
- Sustainability Comes of Age event Learn More
Wednesday, September 25
“Climate Change and Financial Markets: New Paradigm to Manage Risk” Learn More
The SDG Business Forum Learn More
Sustainable Investment Forum North America Learn More. During this event, Paul Bodnar, managing director of RMI’s Global Climate Finance program, will join Anthony Hobley, CEO of The Carbon Tracker Initiative, in a fireside chat
Bloomberg Global Business Forum 2019 Learn More
Panel Event: Rockefeller Foundation hosts the launch of the Global Commission to End Energy Poverty Learn More
We Are (All) Still In: Stepping Up Climate Action Across the Atlantic—a Business, City, and Subnational Actor Reception co-hosted by We Are Still In, Step Up Now, and The Guardian Learn More
RMI’s Climate Week NYC Cocktail Reception. RSVP required. (NOTE: we are at capacity for this event. Please contact us if you would like to set up a separate discussion with RMI staff.)
Thursday, September 26
The New York Community Trust’s Climate Strong Islands Dialogue Learn More
Friday, September 27
“Sustainability Takes Flight: Charting a Course for Greener Aviation” Learn More
What’s Next?
Achieving a clean, prosperous, and secure future depends on the shared vision, commitment, and action of leaders in the private, public, and philanthropic sectors. The connections we make and convenings and conversations we are part of at Climate Week NYC and beyond will advance us all along the critical path toward a well below 2°C future.
We look forward to continuing to engage with you on the critical work that is setting us up for success in the next year, the five years, and well into the future, and updating you on exciting funding and partnership opportunities that emerge from the week’s events.