26 September, 2025

London Climate Week in June felt like a vibrant festival of climate ideas, but New York’s edition this week opened with a more restrained mood. For years, New York Climate Week has been a key moment in the climate calendar. That platform now feels less assured amid shifting political tides in the US.  

Responsible Investor’s pre-event conversations suggested a more muted approach this year. The loud-and-proud corporate presence that dominated London hasn’t translated across the Atlantic. One senior finance leader admitted they nearly sat it out, citing “headwinds” despite being a major partner in London. The Green Finance Institute’s Managing Director of partnerships also expected delegates to attend but to be far less vocal about it.  

That caution is set against a political backdrop impossible to ignore. In his UN address this week, President Trump dismissed climate change as “the greatest con job” and pressed the World Bank to expand fossil fuel financing. Meanwhile, China, the world’s biggest emitter, announced its first absolute target to cut emissions. In a video statement broadcast to New York, President Xi Jinping said China would reduce greenhouse gases across the economy by 7–10% by 2035.   

Against this mix of political headwinds and landmark commitments, Climate Week NYC has rallied around its mantra: Power On, a call to collective action. Could this be a quiet act of defiance, asserting that climate action can not be stalled?  

With COP30 in Brazil fast approaching, it remains to be seen whether New York will influence the agenda as it has before. What is clear is that climate weeks are becoming vital markers of how the global conversation is evolving.  

By Bertie Bateman