Climate Group at Climate Week NYC 2026

08.00am- 01.30pm

The highest level of climate leaders from business government and civil society will share their views on the world we’re shaping, in flagship sessions, inspiring keynotes, and frank panel debates. 

Part One: Higher Sakes, Harder Choices:

We're operating in a disrupted world. Climate, energy, and economic realities are now fully entangled, with a profound impact on markets and growth. Conditions that once underpinned stability, from insurable risk to reliable infrastructure, can no longer be taken for granted.

Global systems are under strain, and the strain is showing. For leader, the question is how to seize control over what comes next. The choices made now will determine whether businesses and governments are merely responding to the transition- or driving it.

Part Two: Real Momentum, Material Change:

The momentum of the clean transition is clear and evidence based. Renewables are scaling fast, reinforcing security at system level. Electrification is accelerated, building new centres of industrial and economic power. Capital moving- but not yet at the scale or speed required to fully underpin a more resilient world.

Momentum is vital, but not enough on its own. The real divide is execution. Who can scale fastest. Who can build under pressure. Who can turn the transition into competitive advantage before the laggards change course. What's the emerging is a contest over speed, scale, and system readiness-and in that contest, leadership will be defined by delivery

Full agenda here 

07.30am-05.00pm

The Executive Series brings together senior leaders from business, government, finance, and civil society for invitation-only roundtables held under the Chatham House Rule. Each discussion gives leaders the time and space to speak openly, share what's working, tackle collective challenges, and look for practical solutions. It’s an excellent way to meet key players that may not have been in your network yet. 

Full agenda here

01.30pm- 03.00pm

The Hub Live, Climate Week NYC’s interactive program on Monday and Tuesday, brings together heads of government, business leaders, and experts to delve deeper into some of the world’s most urgent climate obstacles, policies, and solutions.  

The challenge – navigating a world in flux

Across the world, leaders are navigating a rapidly shifting landscape. 2026 saw the worst energy crisis of our time, driving up the cost of living and placing real strain on households, businesses and public finances. At the same time, disrupted supply chains are pushing up costs and slowing down delivery, while climate impacts, from extreme heat to flooding, are exacerbating the pressure and exposing age-old vulnerabilities. The challenges are interconnected, reinforcing one another and making progress harder to sustain. The challenge isn’t setting ambition, but delivering in a world where economic, climate and geopolitical pressures are deeply intertwined. In this moment of crisis and opportunity, what do we need to do to implement change at pace and scale?

Full agenda here

Registration link: Your Information - Climate Week NYC 

8:15am–12:30pm 

Part of the Industry Acceleration Summit, this high-level roundtable will explore how clean industry projects can create lasting value for the communities that host them. Bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, investors, infrastructure developers and community representatives, the discussion will examine how industrial transition can be designed to deliver local jobs, skills, infrastructure and economic opportunity while accelerating clean industrial growth. 

Confirmed attendee: Jen Carson, Director of Industry, Climate Group

Register here

Contact details: Jen Carson (jcarson@climategroup.org)

06.30pm-09.00pm

Each year at Climate Week NYC, Climate Group brings together senior leaders from business, government, and civil society for an evening reception in New York City. The event celebrates progress and highlights the priorities needed to advance global climate action.

This mix of experienced climate leaders and emerging frontrunners helps shape the next phase of the climate agenda at the speed required. We’re ever closer to the scales of the energy transition tipping decisively towards renewable energy – but we need to keep pushing to reach that point.

​05.00pm-07.00pm

This discussion will highlight the reasons climate-leadership companies are already adopting these practices, their experiences implementing this approach, and why these reforms are more important than ever for grid decarbonisation.

Following the panel discussions and audience Q&A, NRDC will be hosting a networking happy hour with food and drinks provided.

Confirmed speaker: Rachel Swiatek, Senior Manager and 24/7 Carbon-free Coalition lead, Climate Group

More details here

03.30pm-04.30pm

Governments are up against a myriad of compounding risks that have a deep impact on their communities. They’re facing climate-driven shocks, geopolitical instability, supply chain disruptions, and infrastructure vulnerabilities that are shifting operating conditions for governments around the world. Yet for all the scientific urgency around climate and resilience, many institutions responsible for ensuring national security, energy security, food security, safe homes and healthy populations remain insufficiently equipped or prepared to act. This session brings together government and private sector leaders to explore how governments can build resilience in an age of permacrisis.

Registration link: Your Information - Climate Week NYC 

01.30pm-03.00pm

In a moment when climate ambition faces growing political, economic, and social pushback, the role of climate envoys and advocates is evolving from agenda-setting to bridge-building, persuasion, and persistence. After the High Tide explores how climate leaders are navigating a more contested landscape while continuing to advance cooperation, accountability, and action. The conversation will examine how envoys and advocates adapt their strategies in the face of backlash, maintain momentum across institutions and borders, and keep climate priorities visible amid competing pressures. It will also highlight the importance of trusted messengers, coalition-building, and practical diplomacy in translating climate goals into durable progress.

Registration link: PANEL: Climate Envoys and Advocates Amid Environmental Pushback Tickets, Monday, September 21 • 1:30 PM - 3 PM | Eventbrite 

8.30am-10.30am

Co‑organised by Climate Group with the UN General Assembly, and will be hosted by Latham & Watkins LLP. It is one of several GCF Task Force‑led activities designed to connect subnational leaders, partners, and innovators to advance forest conservation and sustainable development. 

Contact details: Yusuf Hassan, Yhassan@climategroup.org

9.00am- 10.30pm

The Hub Live, Climate Week NYC’s interactive program on Monday and Tuesday, brings together heads of government, business leaders, and experts to delve deeper into some of the world’s most urgent climate obstacles, policies, and solutions. 

The choice – committing to competitive pathways

The green transition has hit a new peak, powered by record investment in clean energy and a shift from imported molecules to homegrown electrons. A global EV boom is happening, and industrial planning is increasingly wedded to low-carbon innovation as a pillar of competitiveness and growth. You could be led to believe the direction of travel is set, but the reality is more complex. The path is not pre-defined, and it isn’t solely driven by economics. In reality political will, public pressure, and the security of people, place and planet, are all shaping the speed and direction of change. Today’s choices determine which systems scale, and which are left behind. We must decide where to focus and how to channel our power. These decisions will determine the pace of change, and who captures its value.

Full agenda here

Registration link: Your Information - Climate Week NYC 

07.30pm- 03.30pm

The Executive Series brings together senior leaders from business, government, finance, and civil society for invitation-only roundtables held under the Chatham House Rule. Each discussion gives leaders the time and space to speak openly, share what's working, tackle shared challenges, and look for practical solutions. It’s an excellent way to meet key players that may not have been in your network yet. 

Full agenda here

02.00pm- 04.00pm

Join national governments, international institutions, industry leaders and initiative partners for the global launch of Blend Better Cement, a campaign focused on blended cements as the fastest solution to reduce cement and concrete emissions this decade. The event will spotlight government leadership, showcase proven solutions already being deployed, and explore the policy, regulatory and market measures needed to scale lower-carbon cement production and use globally. The session will also formally launch the Blend Better Cement campaign and build momentum towards COP31 and COP32. 

Confirmed attendee: Nia Bell, Senior Manager Concrete, Climate Group

 Registration link: Global Launch of Blend Better Cement 

 Contact details: Nia Bell (nbell@climategroup.org)