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New York Climate Week: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly!
- Armelle Le Comte
- Oct 1
- 2 min read
The New York Climate Week is an annual event organised by the Climate Group, a global non profit, in partnership with the United Nations. It brings together policymakers, business leaders, and civil society representatives from around the world for hundreds of events from panel discussions to cocktail parties. It is the world’s largest climate event outside COPs. This year’s theme, Power On, highlighted progress across clean energy, climate finance, technology, green jobs, and climate justice – with the aim of showcasing key solutions already in place. Despite geopolitical concerns and economic uncertainty, the 2025 edition marked the event’s biggest year in its 16-year history.
New Climate Pledges Despite the US Withdrawal
Donald Trump overshadowed the beginning of the week by describing climate change as “the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world” in his speech at the UN General Assembly. While climate change impacts are getting worse on every continent, his remarks were met with consternation in the room. But it was not surprising as one of his first decisions in January 2025, when he came back to the White House, was to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement for a second time.
Despite his rant, more than 100 nations spoke at the UN Climate Summit convened by Antonio Guterres. China, the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter, pledged to cut its emissions to 7-10% below peak levels by 2035. President Xi Jinping also announced a target to increase the share of non-fossil fuels in the country’s energy consumption to over 30% and expand the installed capacity of wind and solar power to over six times the 2020 levels. While insufficient to make China’s plan consistent with the 1.5°C limit, it is the first time that China announces an absolute emission reduction target.
On the sidelines of the New York Climate Week, several other announcements were made :
California and Brazil announced a new climate partnership including collaboration on carbon markets, clean transportation and waste management to reduce methane emissions.
Led by Brazil and UNEP, a coalition of 34 governments - including Singapore - announced a new Forest Finance Roadmap for Action. The roadmap includes a six-point plan to finance efforts to halt forest loss by 2030.
Impact investor Acumen reported it has raised US$246 million for its Hardest-to-Reach Fund. Using a blended finance strategy, the fund intends to finance clean power in 17 African nations.
Big Emitters and Companies Feeling the Pressure?
Following the UN Climate Summit, one third of countries - covering half of global emissions - have now announced their 2035 climate plans (known as NDCs). But big emitters such as the European Union, India, Indonesia, and Mexico have yet to submit their climate plans - therefore missing the end of September deadline set by the UNFCCC. The UN will release an NDC synthesis report before the COP in Brazil.
There was cause for optimism at the UN Youth Action Summit where activists, young leaders, and professionals shared the stage, calling out governments and companies to deliver on their promises. In a matter of weeks, we will see if they have been listened to.
