It’s Time to Re-Energize: RMI at Climate Week NYC

Tue, September 24
8:45 a.m.-3:15 p.m.
In-person
Scandinavia House, 58 Park Ave, New York City

About This Event

Scroll down for speakers bios and resource links, or download the slides used during the event.

At Climate Week NYC, RMI shared a message of real progress and even greater promise: We are re-energizing the world through climate solutions.

Audiences joined us all day on Tuesday, September 24, at Scandinavia House, where we shared stories in four sessions on:

How the private sector, in partnership with RMI, is leading climate action.
How slashing methane can solve short-term climate goals.
How communities in the United States are benefiting from the IRA.
How we can change hearts and minds in the fight against climate change.

This dynamic program featured RMI experts and partners from across industry, government, philanthropy, and community-based organizations.

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AGENDA OVERVIEW

Time	Agenda Item
8:15 a.m.	Doors Open

8:45-10:15 a.m.	SESSION 1 – Re-Energize Corporate Action: Where We’re Seeing Impact
10:15-10:45 a.m.	BREAK
10:45-11:45 a.m.	SESSION 2 – Re-Energize Efforts to Slash Methane
11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m.	LUNCH
12:30-1:30 p.m.	SESSION 3 – Re-Energize Communities: Clean Industrial Growth Across America
1:30-2 p.m.	BREAK
2-3 p.m.	SESSION 4 – Re-Energize the Conversation: A Debate on the Energy Transition

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DETAILED AGENDA

MORNING

8:45-9 a.m.

Opening Remarks

Hosted by RMI’s Vikram Singh and Dina Cappiello, the program begins with opening remarks from RMI’s Board of Trustees Chair Sumant Sinha, Board of Trustees Catherine Coleman Flowers, and CEO Jon Creyts.

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9-10:15 a.m.

SESSION 1
Re-Energize Corporate Action: Where We’re Seeing Impact

For over 40 years, RMI has been working with private sector partners to unstick the biggest challenges of the energy transition. The private sector is a critical driver of clean energy solutions, and we’re excited to uplift the work of our corporate partners who are scaling innovative solutions. Join us for a series of rapid discussions with business leaders spanning the entertainment, electricity, and industrial sectors exploring how RMI’s private sector partners are igniting transformational changes to advance clean energy.

Speakers include: Emma Stewart, Neflix; Meghan Edge, Ripple; Chris Atkins, Amazon Worldwide Operations Sustainability; Chathurika Gamage, RMI; Bonnie Lei, RMI; and Erin Callahan, RMI.

For more on RMI’s work in this area, see: Clean Mobile Power Initiative (site); Sustainable Steel Buyers Platform (site); Carbon Markets Initative (site); and Buyers’ Guide to Carbon Credit Data Quality (article).

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10:45-11:45 a.m.

SESSION 2
Re-Energize Efforts to Slash Methane

Slashing methane emissions is among the fastest ways to slow the pace of global warming in this decisive decade. To do this, we must both measure and model emissions from oil and gas and landfill operations. Thanks to new satellites and monitoring technologies, there’s growing access to verifiable and quantifiable data on methane emissions. In addition, decision-makers can use models to analyze effective mitigation strategies. Experts from RMI, EDF, and Carbon Mapper will share the climate intelligence they are gathering. And several users of this data will share how they use it to mitigate methane.

Speakers include: Sarah Smith, Global Methane Hub; Dan Grossman, EDF; Maria-Olivia Torcea, BNEF; Riley Duren, Carbon Mapper; Carl Pope, Advisor to Mayor Bloomberg; Manfredi Caltagirone, United Nations Environmental Program; Deborah Gordon, RMI

For more on RMI’s work in this area, see: Coal vs. Natural Gas (site); Methane Satellites 101: More Eyes Take to the Skies (article).

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AFTERNOON

12:30-1:30 p.m.

SESSION 3
Re-Energize Communities: Clean Industrial Growth Across America

Spurred by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the energy transition has been a boon for American manufacturing. Across the US, northern and southern states, coastal cities, and landlocked suburban areas alike are creating new jobs by investing in the production of EVs, batteries, solar panels, and more. But it’s not just new technologies priming communities for prosperity through the clean energy transition. Some of the most complicated, high-emitting sectors–steel, cement, chemicals–are ready to capitalize on federal and state incentives to get new low-emissions projects in the ground. Cipher’s Amena Saiyid sits down with RMI experts and industry leaders to discuss how policy, innovative funding models, and market demand are converging to re-energize domestic manufacturing and what that means for economic growth, job creation, and community prosperity in the coming decade.

Speakers include: Amena H. Saiyid, Cipher; Jonathan Smith, Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity; Jacob Corvidae, RMI; Bryan Fisher, RMI

For more on RMI’s work in this area, see: Clean Growth Tool (article).

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2-3 p.m.

SESSION 4
Re-Energize the Conversation: A Debate on the Energy Transition

Over the past year, two opposing readings of the state of the energy transition have emerged: On one side of the argument, analysts point to dwindling business ambition, broken promises, and political friction to argue that progress on the energy transition is slowing. On the other, a more optimistic set of analyses argues that the shift to clean technologies is exponential and has crossed a tipping beyond which the transition is locked in and will survive shocks. So, who is right? One month ahead of the US election, this structured debate will explore the dynamics driving the energy transition today and what it means for the changes we can expect across the global economy tomorrow.

Speakers include: Kingsmill Bond, RMI; James Lawler, Climate Now; Aaron Denman, Bain & Company

For more on RMI’s work in this area, see: The World, Re-Energized (site).