Climate Week NYC: Reflections, Highlights, and Urgent Calls to Action

Like many, the decision for attend Climate Week NYC this year was one we thought long and hard about. Like many, we decided at the 8th hour to look beyond the fears and threats that were being spread and go. I'm so glad that we did, as the week was both inspiring and sobering.

ClimateWeek NYC is world’s largest climate event. This year broke the record as the largest with more than 1000 events. The week is key moment for global leaders, innovators, and NGO's to unite and accelerate climate solutions. As always, the event coincides with the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), amplifying its impact as world leaders can be part of a wider, on the ground conversations with businesses and civil society.

I had the privilege of representing Climate Action for Associations (CAFA), advocating for the role of the membership sector in advancing global climate goals, and bringing our voice into conversations that urgently need greater unity and collaboration across professions, industries and entire value chains. Which is a role that CAFA and our members have a genuine and powerful ability to contribute to!!

We are a decade on from the Paris Agreement. Progress has been made, but as many speakers reminded, progress remains slower than science dictates and the cost of inaction is more than people can afford. The next phase must be one of delivery, not delay. Which is why associations cannot hold back on action.

From Paris to Delivery

“We now have the tools. What we need is action.” — Simon Stiell, UNFCCC

Simon Stiell emphasised that COP30 in Brazil must become the COP of transformative delivery. After years of laying groundwork, every country is expected to submit new NDCs this month. The focus now is on transparency, accelerating implementation, and finally turning ambition into reality.

Ambassador André Aranha Corrêa do Lago, COP30 President-Designate, echoed the need to bring the process closer to economies, people, and communities—not just governments behind closed doors.

We need to recognise where the real action is happening and CAFA's perspective is that all membership associations and your members can't afford to wait for government directive to start to change.

The Human Face of Climate Change

Perhaps the most powerful insights and interventions came from those on the frontlines. Hon. Ralph Regenvanu, Minister of Climate Change for Vanuatu, spoke of entire communities forced to relocate as seas rise, and of international law narrowing the rights of vulnerable nations. His message was simple: climate change is not abstract—it is a human rights issue.

“We contribute just c. 0.06% of emissions, yet face existential threat. But eventually, all countries will get here.” — Hon. Ralph Regenvanu

Economics, Equity, and Adaptation

Finance and adaptation dominated many sessions. Dr. Sabine Mauderer of Deutsche Bundesbank stressed that no industry is immune. Legal rulings and new financial frameworks are urgently needed to unlock blended finance and loss-and-damage funding, particularly for the Caribbean and Global South.

Latin American leaders, including Alicia Bárcena of Mexico, called for a paradigm shift—linking climate action with social and political policies, phasing out fossil fuels, and adopting circular economy approaches.

Innovation and Business Leadership

Business is both a source of risk and of solutions. Sessions that resonated with me included:

• L’Oréal showcased water-saving salon technology and its efforts to integrate climate resilience into product design.

• McKinsey highlighted how AI will reshape energy demand, even as it creates new opportunities for sustainable infrastructure.

• Farmers and mayors along the Mississippi River Farmer Lee Jones from Ohio brought the house down as he shared passionately the human and economic impacts of climate change relating to the river including impacts on tourism, failing infrastructure, jobs and national security

• The Role of Insurers and Investors in Driving Sustainable Transformation this session highlighted that insurers are tightening terms, increasing premiums, or excluding certain perils in high-risk zones due to impacts of climate change, especially in vulnerable locations, making property insurance increasingly unaffordable or unavailable for many people and businesses; insurers meanwhile face greater loss volatility, rising capital costs, and pressure to strengthen climate risk modelling, adjust investment portfolios. The knock on effect of the impact of climate on insurance is huge.

  
  

The underlying message was clear from all business leaders from large and small companies; profitability, risk, business resilience and sustainability are no longer separate conversations. The companies that will thrive are those that put managing climate related risks, climate related opportunities and climate governance at the heart of their strategy.

Collaboration and Storytelling

From grassroots movements to global campaigns, the call for collaboration was consistent. Some great sessions by very relatable people sharing real stories. Passionate and articulate actor and activist, Jane Fonda shared her work with communities and raised that that if people are concerned about health and cost of living crisis now, watch this space as it's only going to get worse if we don't stop drilling and start to tackle climate. See her interview here

Gloria Walton and Mark Ruffalo reminded us that every modern movement is built on storytelling. Public momentum must translate into policy, and fragmented efforts must give way to unity.

“This is not the time to divide—it’s the time to come together, to uplift all of us.” — Gloria Walton

My Personal Highlights

My personal highlights included;

• Hearing from Amazonian leaders whose community-driven solutions connect climate and livelihoods.

  
  

• The emotional session on the Mississippi River crisis, showing how climate impacts ripple across economies, health, and food systems.

• The Latin American dialogue, linking climate policy to biodiversity, social equity, and financing - these elements cannot be treated seperately

• Mary Robinson’s stirring words: “It’s stupid to deny, and stupid to drill.”

• Celebrating the power of women’s leadership at Women in Climate, proving again that where women lead, action follows.

• Being part of three crucial roundtable conversations facilitated by leading global corporates and NGO's highlighting:

1. Membership associations can play a transformative role in speeding up whole systems, industry and supply chain action at a corporate and SME level.

2. Trade associations and business groups in particular can implement stronger, aligned responsible policy and action

3. Businesses are increasingly mapping their memberships of associations to ensure their actions on policy and advocacy line up with their promises

A Call to Action

Climate Week NYC reinforced a stark reality: that we are living in a world of epic disinformation, misinformation and lack of trust.

The science is clear despite what the US administration says the latest annual assessment of governments and companies by Net Zero Tracker confirms that, despite Trump's best efforts, net zero targets are expanding — and in many cases being strengthened — around the world.

"What we are actually seeing is buoyancy amidst backlash.." John Lang, Net Zero Tracker.

The US federal retreat is an outlier: momentum across Asia continues to build. Most companies and investors are looking to those that are thriving, adapting and gaining momentum across Europe and Asia where transition, income, and impact is gaining significant traction. For instance electric vehicles have reached a tipping point in China, as EV's surge to 51% market share in 2025.

Climate Week NYC demonstrated there is continued groundswell of action taking place across the world, by businesses and civil society. There is no time to stop.

Role of Membership Associations

For associations, the opportunity is clear. By uniting millions of professionals, businesses, and communities worldwide, we can accelerate change at scale. This is not only about climate targets—it’s about people, nature, livelihoods, and justice.

At CAFA, we remain committed to:

• Cutting through disinformation,

• Mobilising and supporting the membership sector,

• Raising the bar, reinforcing the standard and sharing best practice of association action

• Pushing for bold, coordinated, and urgent climate action.

The challenges are immense, but so too is our collective influence and opportunity. Let’s collaborate and take proactive leadership together.

Contact myself or the team to learn more and join us at climateactionforassociations.org

About CAFA

Climate Action for Associations (CAFA) is the resource and network dedicated to net zero and sustainability for the membership sector. CAFA equips professional bodies and trade associations with the guidance, solutions, and peer-to-peer network they need to take action internally and with members.

If you're a professional body or industry association wishing to know more about what you can do to support your members with sustainability and addressing climate risks, join Climate Action for Associations here.