Running from September 22 to 29, Climate Week NYC brings together influential climate leaders to accelerate climate action. Now in its 16th year, it is the biggest global climate event of its kind convening the public, academia, businesses, governments and the wider international audience to spotlight innovative climate solutions and discuss how to make progress—and quickly.
As this year’s official university partner for Climate Week NYC, the Columbia Climate School is excited to host a full lineup of events on our campus throughout the week.
“We are honored once again to be the education partner for Climate Week NYC and the Climate Group,” said Columbia Climate School interim dean Jeffrey Shaman. “We are proud to provide our expertise and host events to help raise awareness for critical topics like climate justice, food insecurity and water resilience.”
To follow are Climate Week events convened by the Columbia Climate School.
- September 21: Food for Humanity: Unlocking the Potential of Universities to End Hunger and Malnutrition
Conflict, climate extremes, and COVID-19 have disrupted food production and supply chains, leading to unprecedented global hunger, with 735 million people affected. The Food for Humanity Initiative, Climate School’s inaugural program on food systems, harnesses university expertise from various fields to address these challenges. - September 22 and 23: Climate Justice Summit: People Deliver
This summit is a powerful convening of climate justice leaders from around the world, focusing on international collaboration and knowledge exchange with the goal of catalyzing global collaboration to drive progress on a number of issues, including climate justice funding, sustainable cities and reparative justice. - September 24: Rethinking Water 2024: Stakeholder Perspectives for Action
Hosted by Sciens Water in collaboration with Columbia University’s Water Center, the 5th annual Rethinking Water Conference aims to bring together finance, academia, government and industry leaders to find solutions to the most pressing water challenges in the U.S. - September 25: Columbia Climate School Showcase 2024
A showcase featuring a panel discussion and lightning talks led by top experts from Columbia Climate School. These sessions will delve into the latest advancements in climate science, finance, sustainability, and sectoral approaches to mitigation, adaptation and resilience. - September 26: Forward Food and Fashion
This interactive and dynamic experience will bring together leaders from the food and fashion sectors to exchange insights, share best practices and showcase solutions addressing sustainability and climate change. Engage with industry pioneers through panel discussions, keynote presentations and networking opportunities at this unique event. - September 27: Renewing Fashion: Clean Energy and Circular Economy
Our panel, featuring industry leaders spearheading fashion’s clean and circular transition, will address the most pressing challenges, including phasing out fossil fuels, curbing oversupply, scaling up fabric recycling, aligning policy with industry goals and financing the transition.
For more events, check out our Climate Week website.
Below, we’ve compiled some resources to prepare you for the week ahead.
- Columbia Climate School Named University Partner for Climate Week NYC 2024: Experts from Columbia Climate School will join events bringing together voices from business, government and civil society for the biggest climate event on Earth.
- Food Systems Expert Jessica Fanzo Reflects on Receiving One of Science’s Highest Honors: Professor of Climate Jessica Fanzo discusses how an “unplanned” career path led to her recent election to the National Academy of Sciences.
- The Case for Climate-Resilient Infrastructure: As climate change makes weather harder to predict, most infrastructure will need to be retrofitted or redesigned and rebuilt with future climate resilience in mind.
- Scaling the Mountains of Textile Waste in New York City: The amount of annual textile waste produced continues to reach new heights. How do we find sustainable solutions?
- Here Comes the Sun—and the Extreme Heat: After an unprecedented 2023, which was the planet’s warmest year on record, it’s becoming increasingly clear that treacherously hot temperatures are something we’ll need to contend with for the foreseeable future.
- Plugging the Leak on Laundry Pollution: Laundry is the biggest source of microplastic fibers in our waterways. These Columbia researchers are working on a solution.
- Quiz: Plastics 101: Though you likely use plastic every day, how much do you really know about this “Material of a Thousand Uses”?
- Protecting Our Planet: 5 Strategies for Reducing Plastic Waste: Think global, fight local. Here are some tips to reduce your plastic footprint.
- Strategies for Safe Drinking Water: Ensuring Lead-Free Taps for All: On World Water Day, Columbia researchers explored the best options for replacing America’s aging pipes.