Hill Heat

The Sixty-Five Million Dollar Letter: a panel event on the price of free speech and advocacy under attack. Join us for an extraordinary moment of reminiscence and resistance, where members of the HALT DAPL 500 speak out for the first time following the $345 million judgment against the Greenpeace organizations.

This will be an extraordinary moment of reminiscence and resistance, where members of the HALT DAPL 500, speak out for the first time following the $345 million judgment against the Greenpeace organizations.

Back in November 2016, Greenpeace International co-signed the “Halt your support for DAPL” letter coordinated by BankTrack with 500+ others. That signature was the only relevant act resulting in a $65 million judgment against Greenpeace International.

Speakers:

• Mads Christensen, Executive Director for Greenpeace International,
• Natali Segovia, Executive Director for Water Protector Legal Collective,
• Anne Jellema, Executive Director for 350,
• Elizabeth Bast, Executive Director for Oil Change International,
• Rebecca Brown, President & CEO for the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL),
• Ryan Brightwell, Deputy Director and Banks & Human Rights Campaign Lead at BankTrack, and
• Michelle Chan, Board Chair for BankTrack.

This event brings together people and organisations who spoke up and joined together to send the letter expressing concerns to the banks that financed the pipeline. As civic space comes under attack and protecting free speech and protest is more important than ever, this is a space to design how we can fight attempts by the fossil fuel industry to silence advocacy in support of Indigenous Peoples rights, water protection and climate justice.

When: Monday 21 September 2026 from 2-4 pm. (2-2:30 networking and refreshments, event starts at 2:30 pm)

Where: New York City Bar Association, 42 West 44th Street, New York City in the Meeting Hall.

RSVP

09/21/2026 at 02:00PM

At this roundtable, activist and content creators talk about LNG campaigns to:

​Identify narratives to test what is not working with the public, hot takes and create content.

​Brief overview by Oil Change International on energy economics and policy around LNG, data centers, and the US role as a fossil fuel enabler globally.

​Find common targets (proponents, governments, industry actors) to scheme campaign actions.

​Share learnings and good practices in the current political moment.

​This is our opportunity to stop near-term emissions before LNG infrastructure is built, and to show that transnational solidarity across North America can move faster than industry money and geopolitical pressure.

​Why is this happening? ​The fight against fossil fuels is moving offshore, and it is moving across borders. LNG is the fastest growing segment of the fossil fuel industry, on track for the largest LNG export-capacity buildout in history. It is sold as a “bridge to clean energy,” despite methane emissions and new infrastructure that can deepen dependence on gas for decades. Offshore extraction already supplies nearly one third of global oil and gas output, while 85 percent of new oil and gas discoveries in 2024 were located in just ten offshore fields.

​This is not only a US fight, but the United States is central to the global LNG boom. Canada, Mexico, and the US are expanding LNG export capacity along connected coastlines, waters, and gas systems, while Asia and Europe are becoming more LNG dependent. The same financial institutions repeatedly enable this expansion with 6 banks supplying 80 percent of US bank financing for LNG expansion between 2021 and 2023, totalling $51.2 billion.

​Building on the work of the Say No to LNG coalition in Canada, the Global LNG Working Group, Gulf South organizers in the US, Whales or Gas in Mexico, and the many local movements leading resistance, we will convene at NYCW to exchange ideas, align strategy and actions, and develop content that breaks beyond our echo chambers.

​Who is hosting this session? ​Jose Reyeros is a climate justice activist, working to advance solutions and amplify civil society efforts within policy networks. His advocacy efforts with the Chilli App focus on stopping fossil fuel expansion in the ocean and amplifying the science and storytelling needed to represent coastal communities and biodiversity in public narratives and policy. He brings years of campaigning experience to protect the Gulf of California from Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) infrastructure and build coalitions with grassroots and conservation networks across North America.

​”This year, I have joined lines with the Confronting CeraWeek network, supported protests in Mexico with the WhalesOrGas coalition and worked in communications + strategy with Say No to LNG in Canada. After the Santa Marta Transition Away from Fossil Fuels Conference, I bring ambition to connect activists, science and policy for ambitious progress for Just Transitions in the ocean and #MakeRichPollutersPay

​More about Keanu Arpels-Josiah

​Keanu Arpels-Josiah (he/him), is a youth climate justice organizer and activist born and raised on Munsee Lenape land in what is called New York City, and is currently working to build connections across various youth movements and fights from the local to the global. He’s been a core organizer and the policy co-lead with Fridays For Future NYC, where he’s advocated for action on climate justice and legislation on the local, state, federal, and international governmental levels since high school. In 2023, he was one of the lead organizers of the March To End Fossil Fuels, organizing with a multigenerational intersectional coalition to plan and mobilize for a 75,000-person march in N.Y.C., calling on President Biden to stop expanding and phase out fossil fuels. Currently, he also helps coordinate Fridays For Future USA in some campaign areas and works as an advisor to Sunrise Movement NYC’s electoral team.

​About Chilli

​Chilli is a digital action for climate and social justice. Every action on the platform takes under two minutes. We act as a hub for petitions, open letters, pressure campaigns designed for people who care but don’t have time to waste. chilli exists to close the gap between your audience knowing something is wrong and actually doing something about it.”

Location The Bench
49 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10013, USA

09/21/2026 at 01:30PM

Climate change and nature loss are reshaping insurance markets and widening the protection gap. More frequent and severe floods, storms, wildfires, and droughts are driving losses higher, while degraded ecosystems are reducing the natural protections communities rely on, from flood absorption to heat mitigation. Together, these trends are pushing climate-related insured losses up by an unsustainable 5% to 7% annually in real terms. This session will focus on practical solutions to close the growing insurance gap by aligning policy, regulation, finance, insurance practice, and investment in nature.

Hosted by David Kuhn, Corporate Resilience Lead, WWF-US and Josh Goldman Senior Director, Climate Communications, WWF-US

Opening remarks

• Sam Medlock, Principal, Climate Risk Advisors

Speakers:

• Lia Cairone, Director of Sustainability & Resilience at the NYC Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget
• Sarah Conway, Climate, nature, and disaster risk finance expert
• Francis Bouchard, Managing Director, Climate, Marsh

Moderated by John Morton, Executive Managing Director, Nature Finance, WWF

Closing remarks:

• Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.)

With Rep. Kathy Castor (Fla.-14) (cancelled)

At the Fordham Law School at Lincoln Center.

RSVP

09/21/2026 at 01:00PM

1:00 PM-2:00 PM Panel 1: Voluntary corporate climate targets: New data and a new tool

Do voluntary corporate climate targets make a difference? How have these targets evolved over time? In this session, Harvard researchers will launch a free and publicly available data set and interactive tool built to help researchers and practitioners probe voluntary climate action.

This session will provide an exclusive look at new insights from the study, covering Russell 3000 companies’ commitments and emissions data over 24 years.

Participants will walk-through the Salata Institute’s new database and interactive climate targets tool, learning ways to use this new resource for research, planning, reporting, and more.

2:30 PM-3:30 PM Panel 2: Do offsets have a future?

Carbon offset markets fail for many reasons – from adverse selection to moral hazard to over-crediting. Can these markets be repaired? Do offsets have any role to play in future decarbonization?

Hear from leaders grappling with these questions at a key inflection point for offsets, as the EU, CORSIA, and Singapore open compliance regimes to credits.

4:00 PM-5:30 PM Panel 3: Extreme heat: is it too hot to thrive?

As El Niño intensifies in the Pacific, communities around the world, from Dhaka to London, are already reeling from extreme heat.

In this session, we share findings from innovative research measuring the impact of extreme heat on workers in the informal labor economy in India, and platform (gig) workers in New York City, to raise tough questions: what strategies are working or need to be designed to address these new findings? How does evolving research challenge our notions of survivability? What legal and financial tools exist to address productivity losses and to protect workers’ health?

Join researchers from Harvard and CUNY in conversation with city officials, workers and corporations seeking to address these challenges globally.

5:30 PM-7:30 PM Networking Reception

Stay and connect with Harvard alumni, researchers, practitioners, and leaders at an evening reception co-sponsored by Harvard Alumni for Climate and the Environment, C-CHANGE, The Environmental and Energy Law Program (EELP) at Harvard Law School and The Business and Environment Initiative at Harvard Business School.

The reception will include brief remarks by Peter Tufano, Baker Foundation Professor at Harvard Business School and Senior Advisor to the Salata Institute, along with HACE representatives, on ways to connect with a growing community of alumni working to advance climate solutions.

If you would like to request accommodations or have questions about physical access, please contact [email protected] in advance of the event.

Vanderbilt University, Chelsea Square Campus
429 West 20th Street, New York, NY

09/21/2026 at 01:00PM

Artificial intelligence is reshaping our communities faster than most public conversations can keep up. From the rapid expansion of data centers to growing questions about democracy, public health, energy, and economic justice, AI is one of the defining environmental justice issues of our time.

During Climate Week NYC, Building Equity & Alignment for Environmental Justice and One Square World invite grassroots leaders, funders, and movement partners to join us for a half-day summit exploring what it will take to build a just future that centers community power, democratic decision-making, and environmental justice.

Monday, September 21 @ Malt House – Harlem
471 West 126th Street (Between Convent & Amsterdam Avenues)

New York, NY 10027

Register for either session or stay for the whole summit

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

12-1pm Networking Hour (a light lunch will be provided)

Part 1 (1:00-3:00pm)

The $4.3 Trillion Question: Are Just Data Centers Possible?

The rapid expansion of AI data centers, driven in part by a growing demand for AI and other computing, is profoundly impacting the health, economies, and climate resilience of communities across the country. In response, residents are organizing to shape, challenge, and influence data center development, and to ensure their voices and concerns are reflected in planning and decision-making. As communities, public officials, environmental, tech organizations, and funders seek to respond to growing community organizing and debate, one question continues to emerge: Is there a model for developing good data centers?

This conversation will explore these questions from different perspectives, including what it would take for data center development to be responsive to community priorities, public needs, environmental and health concerns, and democratic decision-making.

Confirmed Speakers:

• Melissa Miles, New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance – moderator
• Denise Patel, WeACT for Environment Justice
• Tristan Thomas, Alternatives for Community and Environment
• KD Minor, Alliance for Affordable Energy
• Khalil Shahyd, National Resources Defense Council

Part 2 (3:00-5:00pm)

Funding a Just Future in the Age of AI

If we want to build out a just future –one where our communities have the health, prosperity, and self-determination we need to thrive in a world shaped by AI– it has to be resourced the same way that our current AI systems have been. What scale of funding is needed, and what should that funding go toward? How can philanthropic and investment entities shift their funding to support a just and equitable future? Join us to hear from a panel of grassroots leaders and funders about how they are addressing these issues and advancing sustainability, economic justice, and democracy.

Confirmed Speakers:

• KD Chavez, Climate Justice Alliance – moderator
• Dwaign Tyndal, Alternatives for Community and Environment
• Philip Eubanks, Climate Emergency Fund
• Destiny Hodges, Generation Green

09/21/2026 at 12:00PM

The strongest climate solutions are built with the people most affected by climate and environmental challenges.

The Climate Justice Hub brings together frontline leaders, advocates, policymakers, researchers, funders, students and other changemakers to build the partnerships needed to advance lasting, equitable climate solutions worldwide. Join the Frontline Resource Institute at Environmental Defense Fund for practical conversations, shared learning, and cross-sector collaboration as we explore how integrating frontline leadership into climate decision making leads to better outcomes for people and the planet.

​Schedule

Stick around between panels for networking and light refreshments. Lunch will be provided from 1:00-2:00 pm.

​10:00 – 11:00 am | Storytelling for Climate Justice

Exploring the power of storytelling for environmental justice and how organizations can tell their stories and protect their interests in a rapidly changing digital landscape.

Moderator: Dr. Margot Brown, Environmental Defense Fund

Panelists:

• ​Lil Milagro Henriquez, Mycelium Youth Network
• ​Nina Lutz, University of Washington, KTLN Consulting
• Dr. Beverly Wright, Deep South Center for Environmental Justice

​12:00 - 1:00 pm | Data to Action: What Communities Know, How Cities Lead

Turning lived experience and local data into solutions for air pollution, extreme heat, and climate resilience.

Moderator: Sarah Vogel, Environmental Defense Fund

Panelists:

• Ali Abazeed, City of Detroit
• Brandi Jenkins, Beyond Petrochemicals Campaign
• Valentina Rojas Posada, WE ACT for Environmental Justice

​2:00 – 3:00 pm | AI, Data Centers, and Community Power

Exploring AI’s environmental justice impacts and how frontline communities can maintain agency as data center development expands.

Moderator: Arif Ullah, Executive Director of A2

Panelists:

• ​LaTricea Adams, Young, Gifted & Green
• Dionne Delli-Gatti, Continuum Strategies
• ​Dr. Katlyn Turner, University of Colorado Boulder, KTLN Consulting

​3:30 - 4:30 pm | Uplifting Frontline Voices in Research

Elevating frontline knowledge and community science to strengthen collaboration, climate research and people-centered solutions.

Moderator: Dr. Katlyn Turner, University of Colorado Boulder, KTLN Consulting

Panelists:

• ​Dr. Robert Bullard, Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice
• ​Rashida Ferdinand, Sankofa Community Development Corporation
• ​Manuel Salgado, WE ACT for Environmental Justice
• ​Dr. Beverly Wright, Deep South Center for Environmental Justice

​4:30 - 5:30 pm | Closing Reception

Fordham University at Lincoln Center
113 W 60th St, New York, NY 10023, USA

09/21/2026 at 10:00AM

The rapid growth of AI, advanced computing and other emerging technologies is reshaping the economy and the energy systems that power it. As electricity demand rises, technology companies, policymakers and energy leaders are confronting questions around how to scale innovation while strengthening the grid, accelerating cleaner energy and meeting long-term sustainability goals.

Join Axios House at Climate Week for an event on the intersection of technology, energy and climate. We’ll gather leaders across business, government and technology to discuss how innovation and policy can help meet growing energy needs, unlock new climate solutions and build a more resilient and sustainable economy.

One-on-one conversations with:

• Josh Parker, Head of Sustainability, NVIDIA
• Brian Schatz, Senator, Hawaii (D)

10:00am | Doors open

10:30am | Mainstage conversations

11:30am | Event ends

GH on the Park
54 W. 40th St
New York, NY 10018

RSVP

09/21/2026 at 10:00AM

The Narrative Change Summit brings together the companies, nonprofits, and philanthropies working with film and media creatives to engage new audiences. If you’re interested in the cutting edge of sustainability communications and media, this is for you.

​The Summit is one of the most unusual rooms at Climate Week, bringing together filmmakers with entrepreneurs, major studios with creators, journalists with philanthropists, and scientists with leaders in communications and marketing.

At SVA Theatre in Chelsea.

9:45 AM Narrative Change Summit Opening Remarks

Keynote remarks to open the Narrative Chagne Summit. Speaker TBA. By attending, you consent to being photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded. Your entry constitutes your consent to such photography, filming, and/or recording and to any use, in any and all media, in perpetuity, of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in connection with the event.

10:00 AM Reaching Unexpected Audiences Through Unscripted Reality

Presented by Potential Energy Coalition. Unscripted storytelling can reach the audiences who’ve already tuned out climate messaging. And there’s a story ready-made for it that many people are experiencing: the insurance crisis. Premiums spiking. Coverage vanishing. Whole neighborhoods suddenly uninsurable. Most people don’t connect any of it to climate change yet, but they’re already feeling it in their bank accounts and their neighborhoods. That’s what makes this story so powerful: it doesn’t ask anyone to identify as an environmentalist. It just asks them to look at their bill. We brought together leaders across unscripted storytelling, including documentary film, reality television, and podcasting, to discuss how to tell this story in a way that is entertaining and reaches new audiences. This session will explore questions like: What makes a skeptical viewer lean in instead of tuning out? How do you film real people so they feel like real people, not actors hitting marks? How do you meet an audience where they already are, without losing them? And why might unscripted—messy, unpolished, human—be exactly the format that can tell this story, and other climate stories still waiting to be told? By attending, you consent to being photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded. Your entry constitutes your consent to such photography, filming, and/or recording and to any use, in any and all media, in perpetuity, of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in connection with the event.

With Cyle Zezo · Dior Rodriguez · Eric Asche · Jason Tartick · Nicole Dorrler

11:10 AM GreenerLight in Action: Advancing Sustainability Across a Studio

Universal Entertainment’s GreenerLight program helps film and television series champion sustainability from script to screen. Join Kimberly Burnick and Audrey Vinant-Tang for a conversation exploring how GreenerLight supports creators in authentic on-screen moments, reducing environmental impacts throughout the production process, and engaging audiences during the marketing of a film or TV series. Through examples from a range of recent projects including recent blockbusters and upcoming TV series, the discussion will highlight innovative approaches to embedding sustainability and lessons learned from cross-functional collaboration. By attending, you consent to being photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded. Your entry constitutes your consent to such photography, filming, and/or recording and to any use, in any and all media, in perpetuity, of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in connection with the event.

With Audrey Vinant-Tang · Kimberly Burnick · Michelle Byrd

11:30 AM Amplifying Creator Voices to Reach New Audiences

Presented with GoodPower Social media algorithms make it harder than ever to reach beyond our own echo chambers. This panel brings together renewable energy advocates, creative agencies and creators in the clean energy space and beyond who are successfully reaching new audiences. We’ll explore how culturally relevant storytelling can reframe rising energy costs and solutions, combat disinformation, connect with audiences who don’t typically engage on climate, and help build the broad public support and social license needed to accelerate the renewable energy transition. By attending, you consent to being photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded. Your entry constitutes your consent to such photography, filming, and/or recording and to any use, in any and all media, in perpetuity, of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in connection with the event.

With Jacob Simon · Kip Pastor · Saheedat Abdul · Zainab Mirza

11:40 AM It’s a Scream: Horror, Comedy, and the Golden Age of Climate Genre

Some of the sharpest comedic minds of this generation are now making the biggest horror films and vice versa. This isn’t a coincidence. Comedy and horror are converging, living in a shared ecosystem, feeding the same audiences through the same channels. This session unpacks why that’s happening, why the same forces drive both, and why that convergence is such a powerful vehicle for climate storytelling – the reason we built Carmack Productions around these two genres. Jessie Bluedorn is a producer, funder, and comedian working primarily at the intersection of climate and culture. She is the Founder and Executive Producer at Carmack Productions — a multi-media production studio developing comedy and horror projects that bring climate stories to new audiences, as well as the Founder & Executive Director of The Carmack Collective — a philanthropic fund working to combat and dismantle the fossil fuel industry by investing in movement building and culture change organizations. Ricardo Benavidez is a systems-focused philanthropic strategist and producer working at the intersection of climate, culture, and power. He is Associate Producer of Carmack Productions, where he supports projects that use storytelling and creative media to shift narratives and strengthen climate justice movements. Ricky also leads grantmaking and operations as Director of The Carmack Collective. His work is grounded in trust-based philanthropy and long-term systems change, with a focus on moving resources toward people and ideas building durable power. Additionally, Ricky heads Social Impact Partners, a philanthropic consulting practice supporting values-aligned funders and organizations. By attending, you consent to being photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded. Your entry constitutes your consent to such photography, filming, and/or recording and to any use, in any and all media, in perpetuity, of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in connection with the event.

With Jessie Bluedorn · Ricky Benavidez

12:30 PM Underground Science. Underground Stories.

Why does data alone fail to move people — and what actually makes science stick? Convened by the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN), this session brings together a magazine founder, a scientist, a data designer, and a digital storyteller to explore how they transform little-known facts into compelling stories that resonate with people. The session will also examine misinformation in science communication and conclude with the launch of Underground Creators, a new initiative pairing storytellers with scientists mapping Earth’s underground fungal networks.

With Alessandra Yupanqui · Mandy Nguyen · Moritz Stefaner · Toby Kiers · Willow Defebaugh

12:40 PM From Stadiums to Shorelines: Storytelling that Breaks Through the Noise

Presented by Ocean Conservancy’s Protect Where We Play. The stories we tell now have the power to bring us together. At a time when sports and entertainment unite millions around shared moments of triumph, heartbreak, and pure human connection, this panel brings together storytellers from the front lines — sharing real examples of how they’ve engaged, inspired, and deepened the fan experience in ways that truly matter. By attending, you consent to being photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded. Your entry constitutes your consent to such photography, filming, and/or recording and to any use, in any and all media, in perpetuity, of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in connection with the event.

With Christina Guerron-Orejuela · Christy Briggs · Jenna DiPaolo

1:50 PM Power from the Ground Up: How Local Leaders Turn Narratives Into Coalitions, Funding, and Action

From the Amazon to the Appalachias, Molokai to New Zealand, the Honnold Foundation’s Partners use solar energy as a tool to build stronger, more resilient communities, on their terms. But HF’s Impact extends beyond a check: a growing storytelling program, rooted in community ownership and co-creation, helps HF’s Partners share their vision for a brighter, more equitable world within their community, and far beyond. Join Joseph McNeil, Hunkpapa Lakota, an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and CEO of SAGE Development, Jacob Hannah, a fifth generation Appalachian and Executive Director of Coalfield Development, Nantu Canelos, Achuar leader and Executive Director of Kara Solar, and Peter Walle, VP of Advancement at HF for a deep conversation on a shared belief: stories can change the world. From Standing Rock to the Amazon, learn how local leaders use stories as a tool for local coalition building, strategic, high value fundraising, and ultimately, sparking change in their communities and beyond. By attending, you consent to being photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded. Your entry constitutes your consent to such photography, filming, and/or recording and to any use, in any and all media, in perpetuity, of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in connection with the event.

With Jacob Hannah · Joseph McNeil · Nantu Canelos · Peter Walle

2:00 PM The City as Commons: Reimagining Climate Justice

Global Rise: Stories for the Future and Climate Film Festival invite you to the third and final gathering in our series for imagining new stories to illuminate climate justice in New York City. We’ll open with a panel conversation featuring Dr. Sheila Foster (Columbia Climate School and NYC Panel on Climate Change); Commissioner Rafael Espinal (Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment); and Dr. Anhthu Hoang (scientist and policy expert, and General Counsel, WE ACT for Environmental Justice). We’ll explore new ideas at the intersection of co-governance and cultural infrastructure and look at how cross-sector partnerships and city government agencies can use climate storytelling to enhance civic engagement and climate justice solutions. We’ll also hear directly from the 2026 Global Rise Climate Storytelling Fellows on the creative journeys they took to develop film projects throughout the summer, and their insights and plans for bringing them into the larger conversation. Please register to attend. Guest Speakers: Dr. Sheila Foster (Columbia Law and Climate Justice Professor, Co-Chair of The New York City Panel on Climate Change, and founder of LabGov) Commissioner Rafael Espinal (Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment) Dr. Anhthu Hoang, (Scientist and policy expert, General Counsel, WE ACT for Environmental Justice.) Featuring Global Rise 2026 Storytelling Fellows: Aditi Desai — Public Power (Feature film) Alex Tillett Miller — “Ember and Liberty” (Animated short film) Gabriel Henneman — Informed Refusal (Feature film) Lev Brodinsky — Eruv (Feature film) Sanya Panda — The Ultimate RenAIssance (Feature film) Sara Ali Bugaighis — Muskie (Feature film) Stephanie Dawson & William Reliford — “The Land of Away” (Animated short film) Global Rise Co-Founders & Facilitators: Global Rise: Stories for the Future works with creatives and community leaders to examine the interdisciplinary role of science, humanities, and imagination in creating rich climate stories across media. As educators and artists, we infuse our workshops with storytelling craft, science communication expertise, audience development. We innovate new strategies around the complexity required to power new ideas and imagination for climate solutions across genres, platforms, generations, and cultures. Our site-specific work is rooted in the landscapes, communities, systems, and cultures where climate change is lived. Jessie Keyt — Writer, film scholar, and international script consultant. Co-author of Alternative Scriptwriting: Contemporary Storytelling for the Screen. Head of Screenwriting and Associate Professor at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, where she teaches the graduate-level master class Writing the Climate Change Script. Lydia Dean Pilcher — Filmmaker, cultural strategist, educator, and two-time Emmy-winning, Oscar-nominated producer. Pilcher has an extensive track record creating multi-stakeholder collaborations across entertainment studios, unions, and guilds. She works with UN Climate Change and designed and teaches Climatic Change: Storytelling Arts, Zeitgeist, and Our Future at the Columbia Climate School. Abby Rabinowitz — Climate journalist, STEM communications expert, and Director of the Writing Program at NYU Tandon School of Engineering, where she teaches the advanced seminar Climate Fiction and the City. Her writing on climate policy, technology, and narrative has appeared in Wired, The New York Times, The Guardian, Grist, The New Republic, and Columbia Journalism Review. The Climate Film Festival is a cultural organization with an annual festival, year-round programming, and educational resources in New York City. CFF rewrites the narrative on climate change by harnessing the power of motion pictures, showcasing new and established voices, classic climate films, and human, energizing stories. Its 2026 annual festival will be held September 18-21. By attending, you consent to being photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded. Your entry constitutes your consent to such photography, filming, and/or recording and to any use, in any and all media, in perpetuity, of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in connection with the event.

With Dr. Anhthu Hoang · ​Dr. Sheila Foster · Rafael Espinal

2:40 PM Networking Hour

Meet the people changing the narrative. From heads of sustainability to filmmakers to entrepreneurs and nonprofit executives, the Narrative Change Summit attracts one of the best rooms at Climate Week. Join us for an afternoon coffee and networking in the theater lobby between sessions. By attending, you consent to being photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded. Your entry constitutes your consent to such photography, filming, and/or recording and to any use, in any and all media, in perpetuity, of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in connection with the event.

3:30 PM Journalism is an Effective Climate Solution

Presented in partnership with Covering Climate Now Good climate journalism can have real-world impact. It can expose wrongdoing, prompt official action, bring attention to people who have been underserved or marginalized, and help audiences understand and critique possible solutions. This session, presented with the global journalism collaboration Covering Climate Now, will reframe journalism as a climate solution unto itself. Through clips, images, audio, and conversation, the journalists behind the work will discuss the stories they reported, the audiences they reached, and what the impact has been. During the second part of the session, we’ll discuss journalism as a powerful solution to climate change. How can strong reporting build public understanding and hold powerful institutions accountable? What hurdles stand in the way — including political hurdles but also funding hurdles for journalism? And how can journalists equip audiences with the information they need to effectively respond to the climate crisis? By attending, you consent to being photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded. Your entry constitutes your consent to such photography, filming, and/or recording and to any use, in any and all media, in perpetuity, of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in connection with the event.

With David Akana · Geoff Dembicki · Jason Spingarn-Koff · Jazzmin Jiwa · Mark Hertsgaard · Nina Dietz

4:30 PM Workshop with a Ghost: Hunting the New York Painters of Yesteryear.

Toby Wright researches, hunts down and identifies exact locations where painters stood 100 yrs ago, revealing our evolving world through art. In this workshop, you will join him as he hunts downs the NY of yesteryear through a sketching field trip. Discover the techniques and process of this time traveling “treasure hunt” through an insightful and fun demonstration. Learn to search, identify and draw outdoors, as Toby takes you through every step of his investigative process. 15 min walk to location starting from SVA Theatre. Includes drawing demos, historical context of paintings, description of the analytical process and how to line up paintings with today’s landmarks, and time to sketch. All you need is a sketchbook and pencil, and your adventurous spirit. Local art store: BLICK art store is 4 min walk from theatre venue: 237 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10011, United States. It’s on our way to the workshop location, couldn’t be more convenient! Google map link to the local art store on 23rd street. Art materials requirements for participants: Sketchbook suggestions: CANSON Hardbound Sketchbook, 108 Sheets. 5-1/2” x 8-1/2”. Natural White. $9.33 Item #:10350-1085 OR BLICK Wirebound, 80 Sheets 7” x 10” White $10.11. Item #:13815-1022 Drawing materials: Single pencil: $2.95. Item #:82519-2020 Erasor: Blic kneadable eraser $0.83 Item #:21026-1020 Sharpener: Maped Hand-Held Pencil Sharpener, single hole.$1.11 Item #:21416-1000 Total budget per person: approximately. $15 Short bio: Toby is a classically trained artist inspired by the natural world. Alumni and teacher of the “Florence academy of Art” in Italy, he has pursued a 25+ yr career in portraiture and landscape painting. Over recent years, he has added the practice of expedition artist. Member of the Explorers club NYC and the Alpine club UK, Toby Wright draws and paints through extreme terrain ranging from Arctic, Antarctica, Himalayas, Alps, Gobi desert and under water in the sea of Cortez. His documentary at NYC’s 2026 climate film festival, “Workshop with a Ghost”, is a powerful testament to the intersection of art and science, revealing the past, confronting the present, and inspiring action for the future.

4:40 PM Activist Or Filmmaker? Choosing The Right Lens For Impact

Presented in partnership with Who Let the Docs Out and Warren Underground. Does a great cause always make a great film? Join top directors, producers, and advocates as they explore what happens when activism collides with non-fiction storytelling, and how to balance clear messaging with cinematic complexity for maximum cultural impact. Panelists include Academy Award winning director Louie Psihoyos (The Cove, Game Changers), Emmy-winning and BAFTA nominated filmmaker Gabriela Cowperthwaite (Blackfish, The Grab) and more to be announced! By attending, you consent to being photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded. Your entry constitutes your consent to such photography, filming, and/or recording and to any use, in any and all media, in perpetuity, of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in connection with the event.

With Gabriela Cowperthwaite · Joanna Hellier · Louie Psihoyos

5:50 PM The Live Edit: Startups x Storytellers

Made possible by SNØCAP, Climate Solutions Prize, 9Zero, and Venture For Climate Tech Climate startups are tackling some of the world’s biggest problems, but is their story breaking through to customers, investors and everyday people? In The Live Edit, four founders step beyond the pitch deck and into a live creative studio. Working in real time with a storytelling professional to transform a complicated product into a compelling story. The audience will then vote for the story with the strongest creative potential, awarding one founder-creative team with a path to production: The CFF Greenlight Award, presented by a very special sponsor! (…soon to be announced!) Part story lab, part live development room, and part audience-powered magic, The Live Edit reveals what can happen when climate innovation meets the people who know how to make people care. Startups from 9Zero, VentureForClimate Tech, & more to be announced. Storytellers: Anthony Giacchino, Oscar and Emmy-award winning filmmaker Jessica Riches, filmmaker and narrative strategist specialising in communicating existential risk Matt Scott, Director of Storytelling and Engagement, Project Drawdown Sophie Shrand, science educator, comedian, actor, and entrepreneur MC Suzie Hicks, Writer, filmmaker, and performer specializing in climate communication for kids By attending, you consent to being photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded. Your entry constitutes your consent to such photography, filming, and/or recording and to any use, in any and all media, in perpetuity, of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in connection with the event.

With Anthony Giacchino · Jessica Riches · Matt Scott · Sophie Shrand · Suzie Hicks

09/21/2026 at 09:45AM

Part of the Concordia Summit.

As the United States confronts rising energy demand, global competition, and the need for greater economic resilience, policymakers face a critical question: what energy and environmental policies can deliver real results in the next Congress? In this conversation, Reps. Deborah Ross and Mike Levin will discuss the Thriving Economy Project, a new effort to develop pragmatic, actionable recommendations to strengthen American competitiveness, expand energy affordability and reliability, and accelerate the development of next-generation energy technologies. The conversation will explore what is politically and economically achievable—and how Congress can translate innovation into durable policy.

Participants:

• Rep. Deborah Ross (D-N.C.)
• Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.)

Moderator:

• Nicholas Logothetis, Co-Founder & Chairman of the Board, Concordia

09/21/2026 at 09:25AM

Food Tank, UNEP, Food Planet Prize, NRDC, Restaurant Technologies, CookUnity, and Mill present “Solving Food Waste” at Climate Week NYC

The morning of Monday, September 21st, join Food Tank, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Food Planet Prize, NRDC, Restaurant Technologies, CookUnity, and Mill at WNYC-NPR Studios’ The Greene Space in New York City.

Food waste is one of the world’s most overlooked climate challenges, and one of its greatest opportunities. The morning will explore how reducing food loss and waste can cut greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen food security, and build more resilient food systems at the city, state, and global levels. Featuring leaders from across policy, business, hospitality, and civil society, this event will highlight practical solutions and bold ideas to accelerate action.

Location: WNYC Studios’ The Greene Space, 44 Charlton Street, New York, NY 10014

Time: 9:00AM - 12:00PM. Including live musical performance and a delicious breakfast to kick off the event and a networking lunch following the program.

Confirmed speakers and performers include:

• María Bengochea, Director of Sustainability & Standards, CookUnity
• Veleké Brown, CEO, E-RoadMap and Velloris, and Executive Director, E-RoadMap Corporation
• Cullen Curth, New York City-based Pianist, Music Director, and Conductor
• U.S. Representative Maxine Dexter, Oregon’s 3rd Congressional District
• Julie Gehrki, President, Walmart Foundation and Senior Vice President, Philanthropy, Walmart Inc.
• Diana Geseking, Chief Legal Officer, Restaurant Technologies
• Robert Jones, Vice President, Strategic Partnerships, Industry Leadership, and Impact, The Culinary Institute of America
• Matthew Jozwiak, Founder and CEO, Rethink Food
• Madeline Keating, Senior Advocate, Nature, NRDC
• Martin Krause, Director, Climate Change Division, UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
• Nathan Lucrezio, Broadway Actor, Singer, Dancer, and Recording Artist
• Adalberto Maluf Filho, National Secretary for Urban Environment, Water Resources and Environmental Quality, Brazil’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change
• Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank
• Emily Norford, Nominations Manager, Food Planet Prize
• Chef Emily Peck, Plant-Based Chef and Holistic Nutritionist
• Lou Pieh, Head of Federal Affairs, Mill
• Gwyneth Rampton, Vice President of Sustainability, Compass Group USA
• U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas, Oregon’s 6th Congressional District (D)
• Tia Schwab, Senior Manager, U.S. Food Systems, C40 Cities
• Jackie Suggitt, Senior Director of Waste & Circularity, Walmart
• Sydney Thayer, Pollution Prevention Specialist, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
• Jacob Wallace, Senior Reporter, Waste Dive

RSVP

09/21/2026 at 09:00AM