Top 10 learnings from New York Climate Week 2025
CEO & Founder Plan A │ Co-Founder Greentech Alliance
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New York Climate Week 2025 was record-breaking with over 45,000 participants and 900 events across the city from September 21-28. Under the theme “Power On,” global leaders gathered to accelerate climate progress ahead of COP30. Here are the key insights that emerged:
❶ Decarbonisation as cost protection: Companies are investing heavily in decarbonisation not just for environmental goals, but as financial protection against supply chain disruptions. Clean operations equal resilient operations.
❷ Climate communications go underground: Political backlash has forced companies to dramatically reduce public marketing around climate initiatives. What was once proudly showcased is now strategically hidden, with firms continuing ambitious programs while avoiding the political spotlight.
❸ Disaster response integration: Climate Week highlighted the urgent need to integrate disaster response with climate adaptation, with new commitments to support healthcare workers and communities responding to climate-related emergencies.
❹ Supply chain resilience drives investment: Companies are pouring resources into climate-resilient operations as extreme weather events threaten global supply chains. Building climate adaptation into business continuity planning has become non-negotiable.
❺ Data centre sustainability focus: With data centers projected to consume 12% of U.S. power by 2028, sustainable energy sourcing for digital infrastructure became a critical discussion point throughout the week.
❻ Insurance reality hits hard: Climate risk is no longer theoretical—it’s already costing companies significantly through rising insurance premiums and coverage gaps. Risk management teams are demanding climate adaptation strategies.
❼ Construction innovation spotlight: Housing demand and sustainability pressures drove conversations about construction innovation, particularly replacing plastics and developing greener building materials for healthier communities.
❽ Green infrastructure deals surge: The week launched with major green infrastructure announcements, demonstrating how public-private partnerships are scaling climate solutions across urban environments.
❾ Technology and Innovation drive decarb results: From AI applications in climate solutions to breakthrough technologies, innovation remained central to driving the transition to a cleaner future.
❿ Global coordination before COP30 Brazil: New York Climate Week served as crucial momentum-building ahead of COP30 in Brazil, with participants aligning strategies and commitments for the global climate conference.
The biggest takeaway? Climate action has entered a stealth phase—companies are doing more while saying less. Political polarisation drives marketing underground, but business fundamentals drive continued investment.
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