Sunday September 22, 2024. Climate Group at Climate Week 2024. Opening Ceremony at The Times Center, NYC. Photo credit: Donna Alberico/Margarita Productions PICTURED: In conversation with: A future under construction – It’s Time to accelerate sustainable living for all
Donna Alberico/Margarita Product
The 2025 Climate Week NYC is taking place September 21 – 28 in New York City. The annual event is hosted by the non-profit Climate Group and held in conjunction with the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. It will gather international leaders from politics, business, and science to advocate for climate change reforms. The sessions will indicate the future of climate change policy and provide insight for business leaders as to future regulations, including climate finance.
The overall theme of the 2025 meeting is “Power On.” The programming is divided into ten categories: Built Environment, Energy, Environmental Justice, Finance, Food, Health, Industry, Nature, Policy, and Sustainable Living. Each session is hosted by organizations and businesses throughout the city.
With over 300 sessions running simultaneously in person and virtually, finding the right schedule can be difficult. Here are four programs focused on climate finance to keep an eye on.
Scaling up financing for adaptation investments in the USA due to climate change & related risks
September 22, 8:30 am – 1:00 pm
Hosted by: Fixed Income Analysts Society, Inc
Speakers: Evan Kodra, Ph.D., Head of R&D of Sustainable Finance, ICE; Jennifer M. Chang, VP – Senior Credit Officer, Global Lead for Physical Climate Risk, Moody’s Investor Services; and Joyce Coffee, Founder, President of Climate Resilience Consulting
Fair finance: Unlocking revenue from the world’s heavy polluters
September 23, 9:00 am – 10:00 am
Hosted by: Global Solidarity Levies Task Force
Theme: As COP30 comes into view, a growing movement is exploring new ways to unlock climate finance that is both innovative and equitable. This session will explore how a global levy on premium flyers could generate up to €78 billion annually, generating predictable, debt-free funds for developing countries. Led by the Global Solidarity Levies Task Force, which is an alliance of 20 governments, this initiative is rapidly building momentum ahead of COP30.
Resilience as an asset class: The role of local climate finance to close the resilience investment gap.
September 23, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Hosted by: Montgomery County Green Bank
Theme: As climate impacts intensify, federal resilience funding remains insufficient, leaving billions in unmet resilience needs. Local green banks and CDFIs are uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between community needs and private capital — but they require a model that works at the community scale while attracting sustained private investment.
Climate finance for market transformation in hard to abate sectors: Exploring potential and pitfalls
September 24, 9:00 am – 10:30 am
Hosted by: MIT Sustainability Initiative, S3 Markets, and Quantum Alliance
Theme: MIT Sustainability Initiative researchers will present an analytical perspective on the potential and limitations of indirect mitigation strategies in driving market transformation, drawing on lessons from the evolution of renewable energy markets. Their work will critically examine issues around additionality, market integrity, and the potential for unintended consequences, considering both the Global North and South. Potential discussion topics include a balanced view of direct versus indirect mitigation pathways, the economics of emerging technologies, and design considerations for book and claim systems.