As the global community faces the pressing challenge of the climate crisis, New York City’s Climate Week 2023 emerges as a beacon of hope and collaboration. Scheduled to take place from September 17th to 24th, with some events kicking off early, this impactful week is set to be a convergence of minds and initiatives aimed at addressing the climate crisis from various angles.
Climate Week NYC, initiated in 2009 by The Climate Group, an international nonprofit organization focused on accelerating climate action, has evolved into a globally significant event. Beginning as a platform to coincide with the United Nations Secretary-General’s Climate Summit, it has steadily expanded in scope and influence over the years. This annual event, held in New York City, has attracted leaders, businesses, and activists worldwide, serving as a pivotal moment in the international climate calendar. Climate Week NYC has catalyzed commitments to reduce carbon emissions, promoted sustainability initiatives, and adapted to challenges, including transitioning to virtual formats during the COVID-19 pandemic. From the beginning, it has consistently emphasized the importance of collaboration, innovation, and concrete action in addressing the urgent issue of climate change.
Food and agriculture have a significant role to play in addressing climate change. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), climate change is a direct threat to food security, with an estimated 31 percent of human-driven global emissions coming from agrifood systems. The following list of events, curated by the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center, aligns with The Center’s commitment to fostering sustainable and equitable food systems. From compelling marches, engaging discussions, and special events, Climate Week 2023 in New York City illuminates how food and agriculture can be part of the solution.
Food and Agriculture as a Solution to the Climate Crisis
- Organized By: Food Tank, the Forum for Farmers and Food Security, and NYU Steinhardt
- When: Thu, Sept 14, 2023 10 AM to 6 PM ET
- Where: In person and virtual
- Length: 8 hours
- About: This event, in collaboration with Food Tank, the Forum for Farmers and Food Security, NYU Steinhardt, the World Food Program-USA, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization North America, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), aims to highlight the crucial role of food and agriculture in addressing the climate crisis, both domestically and internationally.
- Registration: Here
- Ticket price: Free
Climate Week NYC
- Organized By: Climate Group
- When: Sun, Sept 17 to Sun, Sept 24, 2023
- Where: In person and virtual
- Length: A week-long series of events
- About: Climate Week NYC is hosted by Climate Group, an international non-profit whose purpose is to drive climate action, fast. The yearly event brings together the most senior international figures from business, government, civil society and the climate sector.Working in partnership with the United Nations General Assembly, it is run in coordination with the United Nations and the City of New York. This year, Climate Group selected the Columbia Climate School as Climate Week’s University Partner.
- Registration: Here
- Ticket price: Free
March to End Fossil Fuels
- Organized By: Local and national organizations
- When: Sun, Sept 17, 2023 1PM to 4PM ET
- Where: In person
- Length: 3 hours
- About: On September 20th in New York, the UN Climate Ambition Summit will gather world leaders to commit to phasing out fossil fuels. As the United Nations calls on world leaders to take real steps to stop using fossil fuels in order to protect people and the planet, thousands will take to the streets to demand that President Biden take bold action to end fossil fuels.
- Registration: Here
- Ticket price: Free
What Can Chefs Do About Climate Change: A Conversation About Solutions, Hope, and Deliciousness
- Organized By: James Beard Foundation and Food Tank
- When: Mon, Sept 18, 2023 4 PM ET
- Where: In person
- Length: A few hours
- About: Food Tank President Danielle Nierenberg is moderating this panel, featuring JBF’s Vice President of Programs Anne E. McBride, PhD, and Chefs Mavis-Jay Sanders and Daniel Humm. The panel will focus on restaurants as essential spaces of positive environmental impact. Participants will leave with solutions for their own restaurants, ways to support their favorite restaurants in their own climate change-mitigation efforts, and a new network of like-minded folks.
- Registration: Here
- Ticket price: Free
WILD HOPE
- Organized By: The WNET Group, NATURE, and Tangled Bank Studios
- When: Mon, Sept 18, 2023 6 PM
- Where: In person
- Length: A few hours
- About: A new series of short films highlighting the intrepid changemakers who are restoring our wild places and sparking new hope for the future of our planet. Includes a reception following a Q&A with filmmakers and conservationists featured in the film.
- Registration: Here
- Ticket price: Free
Clinton Global Initiative 2023 Annual Meeting
- Organized By: Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)
- When: Mon, Sept 18, 2023 to Tues, Sept 19, 2023
- Where: Virtual
- Length: 2 days
- About: CGI’s annual meeting will cover some of today’s most pressing issues, including climate change, health inequities, food insecurity, economic inequality, threats to democracy around the world, and record-breaking refugee displacement. Speakers will examine ways to channel energy and investment to scale solutions that are already improving people’s lives, and explore how tools like AI can be responsibly harnessed for good.
- Livestream: Here
- Ticket price: Free
Climate Week 2023 Hub
- Organized By: The New School Tishman Environment and Design Center
- When: Mon, Sept 18 to Wed, Sept 27, 2023
- Where: In person and virtual
- Length: 1 week, 2 days
- About: From September 18 to 27, The New School will be holding events for Climate Week. These events are opportunities to learn about federal funding for environmental justice work, mandatory emissions reductions, and more.
- Registration: Here
- Ticket price: Free
Women and Climate NYC Climate Week Dinner
- Organized By: Women & Climate
- When: Tues, Sept 19, 2023 6 to 9:30 PM ET
- Where: In person
- Length: 3.5 hours
- About: In collaboration with Giant Machines, Terraformation, and the Climate Equity Collaborative, Women & Climate is hosting a special event for women and non-binary individuals to network, make new friends, enjoy delicious vegan fare, honor members of their community, and touch on important topics including climate equity. No climate experience necessary!
- Registration: Here
- Ticket price: $81.88
2023 Climate Campus
- Organized By: The Nest Climate Campus
- When: Tues, Sept 19, 2023 8:30 AM to Thurs, Sept 21, 2023 5:30 PM ET
- Where: In person
- Length: 2 days, 9 hours
- About: The Nest Climate Campus is partnering with leading sustainability organizations in academia, arts, business, and government to host discussions and facilitate networking opportunities through various community-engagement activities including art centered around climate change, green roof tours, and a garden eatery.
- Registration: Here
- Ticket price: Free
New York City Climate Week Celebration 2023
- Organized By: The New York City Council
- When: Tue, Sept 19, 2023 5 PM – 7 PM
- Where: In-person
- Length: 2 hours
- About: The New York City Council is excited to host this event for the first time at City Hall. The event will highlight climate week and include 5 proclamations to climate-focused groups picked by the offices of Councilmembers Sandy Nurse, Carmen De La Rosa, Amanda Faraís, James F. Gennaro, and Alexa Avilés.
- Registration: Here
- Ticket price: Free
Food+ at UNGA78
- Organized By: Foreign Policy
- When: Weds, Sept 20, 2023 1:30PM to 4:15 PM ET
- Where: In person and virtual
- Length: 2 hours and 45 minutes
- About: Amidst complex global challenges, including fractured global supply chains, conflict over water, deforestation, and climate change, Foreign Policy will explore collaborative approaches to fortify food systems around the world.
- Registration: Here
- Ticket price: Free
Food Day @ UNGA
- Organized By: The Rockefeller Foundation, WWF, Global Alliance for the Future of Food and Food Tank.
- When: Weds, Sept 20, 2023 8:45 AM to 5 PM ET
- Where: Virtual
- Length: 8.5 hours
- About: This special livestream event will offer global framing for the nexus of food and agriculture, climate, nature, health; and finance; key challenges; and pathways for a sustainable, equitable, and inclusive food system.
- Registration: Here
- Ticket price: Free
Pure Strategies Climate Week Panel: Brands Scaling Scope 3 GHG Solutions
- Organized By: Pure Strategies
- When: Weds, Sept 20, 2023 9 AM to 10:30 AM ET
- Where: In person and virtual
- Length: 1.5 hours
- About: The dominant source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for most businesses lies in indirect sources throughout the supply chain, also known as scope 3 GHG emissions. This panel discussion will explore how brands have been looking at overcoming common hurdles and scaling Scope 3 GHG reduction solutions. Businesses reducing supply chain-level GHG emissions will discuss why and how they are working on the harder-to-manage areas of their GHG impacts. Topics will include farm-level changes, Science Based Target Forest, Land and Agriculture (SBTi FLAG) target setting, unique supplier engagement, product and packaging innovation, and other approaches. Pure Strategies will facilitate a highly engaging exploration of solutions from leading businesses, including Stonyfield and others.
- Registration: Here
- Ticket price: Free
The New York Times Climate Event with Bill Gates, Marie Kondo, and Others
- Organized By: The New York Times
- When: Thurs, Sept 21, 2023
- Where: Virtual
- Length: All day
- About: The New York Times will bring together newsmakers, including innovators, activists, scientists and policymakers, for an all-day event examining the actions needed to confront climate change.
- Registration: Here
- Ticket price: Free
Dinner and Conversation: Climate Week: A Feast to Fix the Future
- Organized By: Food Tank, SDG2 Advocacy Hub, and the James Beard Foundation
- When: Thurs, Sept 21, 2023 at 7 PM to 9:30 PM ET
- Where: In person
- Length: 2.5 hours
- About: A multi-course dinner themed around celebrating the “Beans is How” campaign to culminate NYC Climate Week. An incredible lineup of speakers, chefs, and storytellers is planned, including Chef Anita Jaisinghani; award winning chef and co-owner of Pondicheri, Houston; Chef Grace Ramirez, TV celebrity chef, author, and advocate; and Chef Lorna Maseko, International celebrity chef, TV presenter, award winning cookbook author and former Prima Ballerina South Africa, and much more. Moderated by Danielle Nierenberg.
- Registration: Here
- Ticket price: $150
Public Food Procurement to Meet NYC’s Climate Goals
- Organized By: The Mayor’s Office of Food Policy NYC, Colorado State University’s Food Systems Institute, and the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research
- When: Fri, Sept 22, 2023 3:30 PM to 5 PM ET
- Where: In person and virtual
- Length: 1.5 hours
- About: Public food procurement represents a significant portion of municipal budgets worldwide. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have called for leveraging municipal budgets to address multiple goals including the climate crisis. This event will highlight New York City and Copenhagen’s food procurement policies and launch a new three-year action research effort to support public food procurement decisions.
- Registration: Here
- Ticket price: Free
