Climate Week in New York City
Today is the beginning of the seventh annual Climate Week in New York City, a series of events that brings together actors from business, government and the non-profit sector who are working towards a transition to a low-carbon economy. The week’s activities will include public and private events and typically private companies and the city government will announce commitments to invest in climate resilience measures or targets to reduce climate impacts. The Mayor of New York, for example, has floated a proposal to transition all city lighting to LED. Fortune 500 companies plan to announce specific commitments for the adoption of renewable energy sources to run their businesses. Climate Week also coincides with the opening of the United Nations General Assembly, at which time the UN will adopt a new series of sustainable development goals, and the meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative. This week I am very glad for the Acela high-speed train. I am also very glad that many of the Climate Week NYC events will be live-streamed on the Internet, so those from far away who wish to participate do not have to take flights to New York!