Date: September 17-24, 2023
London, August 17, 2023 – With just one month to go until Climate Week NYC, Climate Group is proud to announce author and activist Jane Fonda and IPCC chair Jim Skea among the latest speakers set to share their insights on climate action at the Opening Ceremony and The Hub Live.
Jane Fonda is an author and activist who has spent the last several decades campaigning for Indigenous peoples' rights, economic justice, LGBTQ rights, protesting the War, gender equality and more. Now, she continues to lead the charge on the climate emergency via Fire Drill Fridays, a national movement to protest government inaction on climate change which started in October 2019 and is focused on defeating political allies of the fossil fuel industry.
Jane Fonda said:
“We are in a planetary crisis. If we want to ensure our survival on a livable planet, we must prevent any new fossil fuel development and phase out of fossil fuels altogether over the next several decades. President Biden should declare a climate emergency and stop approving new fossil fuels.”
Jerome Foster II, 21-year-old environmental justice activist, is the youngest-ever White House Advisor and Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director at Waic Up.
Jim Skea was elected Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in July 2023 and is a Professor of Sustainable Energy at Imperial College London.
Jim Skea, Chair of IPCC, said:
“Climate change is a threat to the health of our planet and a critical challenge for humanity in this century. It is happening now. We can see and feel its effects around the world daily.
“We, as human beings, have the capacity to act to avoid the worst by cutting our emissions, strengthening resilience and reducing vulnerabilities. We have the know-how and the means to make deep and rapid cuts in emissions and adapt to human-caused climate change.
“I’m delighted to be speaking at this year’s Climate Week NYC, where business and government join their efforts to tackle climate change. This is the decade for more comprehensive and determined climate action”.
Climate Week NYC, organized by Climate Group in partnership with the UN General Assembly and the City of New York, brings together business leaders, political decision takers, local change makers and civil society representatives from all backgrounds to discuss how to accelerate climate action, fast. It kickstarts and drives international climate discussions throughout the fall, supporting the UNSG Climate Summit and the lead-up to COP28.
Other speakers announced today, include:
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Doreen Harris, President and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is presiding over New York’s offshore wind target to install 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035; the largest offshore wind goal of any state in the United States.
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Juan Manuel Santos, a member of The Elders, and former President of Colombia between 2010-2018, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2016 for his role in leading peace negotiations with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), ending 50 years of intractable civil war.
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Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer (Wolf Clan), Grand Chief of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawàke made history as the first woman to be elected as the Grand Chief in the community of Kahnawà:ke and leads on reversing the effects of climate change on indigenous peoples.
More speakers will be confirmed in the coming weeks. See the full list of speakers: https://www.climateweeknyc.org/speakers
Under the call We Can. We Will. this year’s Climate Week NYC will focus on the action we need to take now, the barriers that need breaking down and the need to look ahead, exploring new opportunities. For more information about the program, visit our website.
Helen Clarkson, CEO of Climate Group, said:
“Climate change is here – scorching heatwaves, wildfires, and unforgiving floods are our wake-up call. But we're not hitting snooze. It's time for a game-changer, a new Industrial Revolution for our planet powered by clean energy. That's why we're bringing together businesses and policymakers at Climate Week NYC – they've got the clout and can accelerate the change that's long overdue.”
ENDS
Apply here for a media pass for Climate Week NYC for access to the Opening Ceremony and The Hub Live. For any other media enquiries, please email Joe Dodd, Senior Communications Officer, [email protected].
Climate Week NYC 2023 Sponsors and Partners
Saint-Gobain, Headline Partner; McKinsey Sustainability, Opening Ceremony Partner; AB InBev, The Hub Live Partner; Salesforce, Climate Leaders’ Reception Partner; PwC, Executive Series Partner; L'Oréal Groupe, Platinum Partner; Oliver Wyman, Research Partner; The Estée Lauder Companies, Platinum Partner; Transform to Net Zero, Masterclass Series Partner; UNICEF USA, Stream Partner; AstraZeneca, Stream Partner; Cisco, Stream Partner; Johnson & Johnson, Stream Partner; Boston Consulting Group, Stream Partner; Temasek, Stream Partner; Google, Gold Partner; Nexans, Gold Partner; PepsiCo, Gold Partner; ENGIE Impact, Gold Partner; National Grid, Gold Partner; Impax Asset Management, Gold Partner; Siemens, Gold Partner; BMW of North America, LLC, Gold Partner; Capgemini, RE100 Leadership Awards Partner.
About Climate Group
Climate Group drives climate action. Fast. Our goal is a world of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, with greater prosperity for all. We focus on systems with the highest emissions and where our networks have the greatest opportunity to drive change. We do this by building large and influential networks and holding organisations accountable, turning their commitments into action. We share what we achieve together to show more organisations what they could do. We are an international non-profit organisation, founded in 2004, with offices in London, Amsterdam, Beijing, New Delhi, and New York. We are proud to be part of the We Mean Business coalition.