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Forbes
29-05-2025
- General
- Forbes
Will Climate Week NYC 2025 Be A Bust? 'NO!' Says Six Key Insiders
TOPSHOT - People cross the Brooklyn Bridge calling for leaders to "Tear down the pillars of fossil ... More fuels" during a Youth Global Climate demonstration ahead of the UN Climate week and General Assembly in New York City on September 20, 2024. (Photo by Alex KENT / AFP) (Photo by ALEX KENT/AFP via Getty Images) Climate Week NYC 2025 is fast approaching. With just a few months left for organizations to decide whether or not they want to participate this year, given the current political climate in the United States, it's critical to get a read on the pulse of what is being anticipated come September. One key indicator is that the New York Times announced yesterday that it will return to Climate Week NYC with The Climate Forward Live Event for its fourth consecutive year. I asked 6 key players affiliated with Climate Week NYC for their thoughts on what to expect. Angela Barranco, Executive Director of Climate Group North America—arguably the central convener for Climate Week NYC—describes it as 'the biggest global event of its kind, bringing together tens of thousands of people from all over the world. It's more than just a week of events—it's the moment that shapes how businesses and governments act on climate for months and even years afterward.' Barranco went on to explain the critical importance of climate week this year. She states, Barranco's sentiments seem to prevail across Climate Week NYC insiders. Let's hear what some others have said. More people are concerned about the health of the planet than ever before and that's why Climate Week in 2025 will be the biggest yet. Being the hottest year ever recorded, 2024 also produced a record amount of extreme weather and gave us a clear picture of the future we do not want. People want a more stable, resilient, and sustainable future and at the same time many businesses are seeing that environmental responsibility is good business. There are many forces at work to create a brighter future full of opportunity and Climate Week 2025 will be unsurpassed in terms of impact. The Nest Climate Campus is an official partner of Climate Week NYC and takes over the Javits Center on Manhattan's west side. The Nest Climate Campus boasts 9407 attendees last year (up over 50% from 2023), 4383 partner organizations, and 150+ main stage speakers. Attendees can enjoy sponsored sessions on the main stage and various pop up talks and panels on the main floor with celebrities like Bill Nye and Adam Met as featured below. Dr. Sweta Chakraborty and Dr. Adam Met interviewing Bill Nye at the NEST Climate Campus at Climate ... More Week 2024 Food Tank —'the think tank for food'—will take over NPR Studios' The Greene Space during Climate Week NYC 2025 as it did last year. President Danielle Nierenberg said, We Don't Have Time will broadcast live from Climate Week NYC and amplify global reach through studios in Sweden and Kenya. We Don't Have Time partners with organizations ranging from the Clinton Global Initiative to sustainable fashion non-profits like Fashion4Development for the purpose of sharing both innovation and industry progress. We Don't Have Time founder, Ingmar Rentzhog, states: NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 18: Ingmar Rentzhog attends Fashion 4 Development's 3rd Annual ... More Sustainable Goals Banquet at 583 Park Avenue on September 18, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Sylvain Gaboury/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images) The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) plans to show up in force! At a time when the U.S. is experiencing the largest increase in demand for energy since World War II, it is more important than ever that we deploy as much solar and storage as possible. The Solar Energy Industries Association is taking – and will continue to take – that message to every corner of America, including NYC Climate Week. Solitaire Townsend, founder of the change agency, Futerra, describes the establishment of another Climate Week NYC staple: Solutions House. She explains how the House was born when 'Futerra's team in NYC pushed aside a few desks and invited our clients and friends into our offices for small but highly energetic sessions.' She goes on to say that in 2025 'we'll be hosting our largest events yet, in a dedicated 300-seat venue with breakouts, immersion screens and a coffee bar. We've raised more funding, and secured more partners, this year than ever before. Why? Because appetite for solutions, for unexpected content, and for real debate, hasn't dimmed at all.' Definitely a resounding 'NO' according to the 6 key climate players interviewed for this piece. It seems that engagement and participation in Climate Week NYC is an increasing trend especially in recent years. Sure there are fears around speaking up on climate action in the current political climate, but it's clear from those actively working on climate that it's more important than ever to engage. It is possible, however, that this engagement will come primarily from US-based climate advocates. As Ingmar Rentzhog puts it, It remains to be seen just how well attended Climate Week NYC will be in 2025 while the Trump Administration is in power. Perceptions of fear held by climate advocates, whether unfounded or not, can ultimately motivate behavioral outcomes like whether or not to engage in Climate Week NYC 2025. It's clear from the climate insiders interviewed for this piece that not only are they not backing down, but rather that they are ramping up their efforts.
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Global forum sees India's 'leadership role' in Asia's energy transition
Singapore: A global forum focussed on climate protection has lauded India's progress in the renewable energy sector and said the country has a leadership role in Asia's energy transition. "India has a leadership role in the energy transition in Asia. It's making steady progress on its climate goals, with a focus on solar roll-out. This is encouraging," said Helen Clarkson, CEO of Climate Group-- a not-for-profit international entity. Clarkson, who led the Climate Group Asia Action Summit in Singapore last week, said, "India's progress in renewables is interesting with progress seen in the last few years". India's total installed renewable energy (RE) capacity has reached 220 GW as of FY25, she said, citing the latest data from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). Solar energy leads the sector, accounting for approximately 48 per cent of the total RE capacity, followed by wind energy (23 per cent), large hydro (22 per cent), bio power (5 per cent) and small hydro (2 per cent), according to MNRE's April 2025 report. "Asia can tackle two deeply linked crises in one go -- economic and climate -- if its businesses and governments push ahead with clean tech, innovation, energy security based on renewables , and decarbonised supply chains. Asia is where the transition will be won or lost," said Clarkson. The Climate Group Asia Action Summit held on May 8 brought together business leaders and policymakers from across Asia to discuss how to stay competitive in a fast-changing world, how to reduce costs and swiftly unlock barriers, and where to spot opportunities. Clarkson said the economic and the climate crisis are deeply linked. As other parts of the world are stepping back, Asia is where the transition will be won or lost. "We need bold leadership, innovative solutions, strategic clean investment, and the buy-in and long-term thinking of governments. Asia truly has an incredible opportunity to build out its lead," she said. "And, we need to scale up such renewables programmes globally," she underlined. Clarkson further said, "Trade is the engine of the global economy - if that goes, it sends tremors through the foundations of supply chains, competitiveness, energy security, and procurement strategies." She said the conversations at the Climate Group Asia Action Summit have shown that forward-thinking executives and policymakers from across the region understand the opportunity in the transition. To them, it makes clear business sense.
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Business Standard
12-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Global forum hails India's leadership in driving Asia's energy transition
A global forum focussed on climate protection has lauded India's progress in the renewable energy sector and said the country has a leadership role in Asia's energy transition. "India has a leadership role in the energy transition in Asia. It's making steady progress on its climate goals, with a focus on solar roll-out. This is encouraging," said Helen Clarkson, CEO of Climate Group-- a not-for-profit international entity. Clarkson, who led the Climate Group Asia Action Summit in Singapore last week, said, "India's progress in renewables is interesting with progress seen in the last few years". India's total installed renewable energy (RE) capacity has reached 220 GW as of FY25, she said, citing the latest data from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). Solar energy leads the sector, accounting for approximately 48 per cent of the total RE capacity, followed by wind energy (23 per cent), large hydro (22 per cent), bio power (5 per cent) and small hydro (2 per cent), according to MNRE's April 2025 report. "Asia can tackle two deeply linked crises in one go -- economic and climate -- if its businesses and governments push ahead with clean tech, innovation, energy security based on renewables, and decarbonised supply chains. Asia is where the transition will be won or lost," said Clarkson. The Climate Group Asia Action Summit held on May 8 brought together business leaders and policymakers from across Asia to discuss how to stay competitive in a fast-changing world, how to reduce costs and swiftly unlock barriers, and where to spot opportunities. Clarkson said the economic and the climate crisis are deeply linked. As other parts of the world are stepping back, Asia is where the transition will be won or lost. "We need bold leadership, innovative solutions, strategic clean investment, and the buy-in and long-term thinking of governments. Asia truly has an incredible opportunity to build out its lead," she said. "And, we need to scale up such renewables programmes globally," she underlined. Clarkson further said, "Trade is the engine of the global economy if that goes, it sends tremors through the foundations of supply chains, competitiveness, energy security, and procurement strategies." She said the conversations at the Climate Group Asia Action Summit have shown that forward-thinking executives and policymakers from across the region understand the opportunity in the transition. To them, it makes clear business sense.
Japan Times
19-02-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Shipyards of Bangladesh brace as heavy emitting ships near end of life
SITAKUNDA, Bangladesh – On the southwest coast of Bangladesh, workers armed with gas torches, laser cutters and winches break apart the carcasses of the giant, old ships that are grounded on their sandy beach. Thirty ship-breaking yards and thousands of scrap workshops are dotted along 15 kilometers of the coastline of Sitakunda, recycling about 38% of the world's dead ships and supplying steel scraps for Bangladesh's thriving manufacturing industry. "Cutting ships is one of the riskiest jobs on earth," said Jamal Uddin, 40, who works as a senior cutter in his local yard. Over the last two decades, Uddin has seen many of his fellow workers in nearby yards suffer major burns and break limbs while dismantling steel vessels that are sent to Bangladesh from rich, ship-owning nations. With many old ships now nearing their end of life, the industry is bracing for a big, new economic shot in the arm. In the coming decade, about 15,000 ships — or one in eight of the entire global fleet — will come in for recycling: twice the amount of the past decade, according to a new report by the NGO Climate Group and consulting firm PWC. These older ships are heavy emitters, spewing out pollutants and planet-heating emissions, which has hastened the industry's efforts to retire them, said Anand Hiremath, chief sustainability officer at GMS, which buys old ships and resells them to South Asian ship breakers. Emissions Were it a country, the global fleet would have the dubious honor of being the world's No. 6 emitter of planet-warming carbon dioxide. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has pledged to cut emissions by half by the year 2030, and turn it into a net-zero emissions industry by 2050. New global regulations aim to ensure that the dismantling of ships grows more safe and environmentally friendly as part of an industry-wide push toward a more sustainable model. But workers who cut and recycle ships said that the reform agenda does not promise them decent jobs or better pay. A worker uses a wielding machine to dismantle a part of a decommissioned ship in the western Indian state of Gujarat. In the coming decade, about 15,000 ships — or one in eight of the entire global fleet — will come into shipyards for recycling: twice the amount of the past decade, according to a new report. | REUTERS "After a day's back-breaking work, we hardly get the wages to cover our doctors' costs or our kids' school fees," said Uddin, who chose not to name his employer, fearing repercussion. Most of the coming surge will be handled by yards in the Sitakunda region of Bangladesh or Alang in India's Gujarat, which together account for about 70% of global ship breaking. Worker deaths are common, as is environmental harm with toxic chemicals seeping into the beach and water, harming marine life. When workers use high-temperature torches to gouge a ship's panels, accidents often happen, while exposure to hazardous substances such as asbestos risks long-term health impacts. A Sitakunda shipyard fire killed seven workers in September. Since 2009, 470 workers have been killed in South Asia's more than 500 registered ship-breaking yards, according to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a coalition of environmental and labor rights groups headquartered in Brussels. The industry employs at least 30,000 people — most of them low-paid, causal workers — in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. "The recent accident showed once again that we still have to go a long way to ensure a safe workplace for ship-breaking workers," said Fazlul Kabir Mintu of the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS), which works with yard owners and ship breakers to make their workplaces safer. In June, the IMO is bringing in new regulations, known as the Hong Kong convention, to address the risks that workers face and to govern how hazardous substances are managed. The change will mean owners must document any hazardous substances in a ship before it goes for recycling. Making jobs decent Beyond increased safety, though, workers want better pay and benefits, said Mohammad Ali of the Bangladesh Metalworkers' Federation (BMF) who set up the country's first shipyard trade union. Workers in Sitakunda's yards usually make less than $5 for a precarious, eight-hour day. Most also work on a temporary basis without ID cards and get no paid leave, Ali said. So many of them must work additional hours to earn enough — putting them at still higher risk of accidents, he added. When workers are killed in a workplace accident, they receive about 700,000 Bangladeshi taka ($5,740) in compensation. That covers less than two years of an average household's spending and does not include a pension. Zahidul Haque, who is in his 70s, lost his son Abdur Rashid — a junior cutter — when fire broke out in the Pakiza Ship Yard about a decade ago. "We received some compensation, which was just 100,000 taka ($820) back then — but with our sole earning member gone, we have no one to look after us," he said. Upgrading safety, waste management and labor rights require buy-in from not only yard owners but also their governments, said Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman, whose HR Ship Management firm helps the yards get regulation-ready. Whereas Bangladesh is lagging in its efforts to clean up the industry, Indian yard owners have benefited from government support as well as foreign funding, he said. But rich companies — which own most of the ships — are also being urged to share some of the heavy transition costs. "The world's rich countries benefit from international shipping — and they need to care and act on how the ships are recycled and what happens to the workers," said Ali from BMF.
Boston Globe
10-02-2025
- Science
- Boston Globe
Most nations miss deadline for plans to fight climate change. UN says take your time to do it right.
Aside from the United States, the only major emitters to submit 2035 targets are Brazil, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates. The Marshall Islands, Singapore, Ecuador, Saint Lucia, Andorra, New Zealand, Switzerland, and Uruguay have filed their plans, but combined they produce less than 0.2 percent of the world's carbon dioxide. UN Climate Secretary Simon Stiell said that more than 170 countries have told his office they are working on their national plans, so he is not worried. He emphasized quality over timeliness. Advertisement 'Taking a bit more time to ensure these plans are first-rate makes sense,' Stiell said last week in a policy speech in Brazil. 'These will be the most comprehensive climate plans ever developed.' Champa Patel, policy director of the nonprofit Climate Group, was not as forgiving. 'It's worrying that countries are failing to meet the urgency of the moment,' Patel said. 'The world cannot afford inaction.' These plans — officially called Nationally Determined Contributions or NDCs — are the main mechanism of the landmark international agreement. Every five years, nations are supposed to come up with new and stronger five-year plans that outline their voluntary plans to limit or reduce emissions of greenhouse gases from the burning of coal, oil, and natural gas. The latest versions are supposed to be compatible with the Paris agreement's goal of limiting long-term warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times. The world is now at 1.3 degrees Celsius (2.3 degrees Fahrenheit) since the late 1800s, and on pace to warm another 1.8 degrees Celsius (3.2 degrees Fahrenheit), according to the UN. Advertisement Scientists say the warming atmosphere is driving ever more extreme weather events, including flooding, droughts, hurricanes, heat waves, and wildfires that are killing people and causing billions of dollars in damage every year. The new targets are also supposed to be for all greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride. They should cover the entire economy not just the energy sector, according to a 2023 agreement. Climate Action Tracker — a group of scientists and other experts who analyze nations' climate plans for domestic emissions — found that four of the six NDC targets they looked at so far got an 'almost sufficient' for their target of holding warming to 2 degrees Celsius. Switzerland got an insufficient, with the group saying its plan was more compatible with 3 degrees of warming. The UK's plan was rated compatible for 1.5 degrees of warming. Britain's plan aims to cut emissions by at least 81 percent by 2035 when compared to 1990 emissions, mentioning efforts to phase out new internal combustion cars — which only use gasoline and diesel — by 2030. Brazil in its plan gave a range of emission cuts of 59 percent to 67 percent by 2035, when compared to 2005 emissions, talking heavily about an emphasis on climate justice, repeatedly mentioning efforts to combat deforestation. Most of those countries were rated insufficient when it compared what they plan to do with what they are actually doing and what their 'fair share' is considering their resources and history. That included the United States, where one of Trump's first actions last month was pulling out of the Paris agreement. Advertisement 'We know already right now that whatever (other) countries put out, it is not enough,' Climate Action Tracker co-founder Niklas Hohne said Monday. 'They all need to do more.' Stiell said the real deadline for the plans is in September. That is when the United Nations will tally up all the plans and figure out how much emissions will be cut and how much future warming will be prevented if countries do what they promise. That's a big if. The European Union and China should be done by the middle of the year and India will only submit their target after other major emitting nations do so, Hohne said.
