EVENTS WE ACT IS HOSTING
Monday, Sept. 22
5:00-6:30 PM – Emergency Preparedness Workshop
Danielle Mangabat will be conducting a Climate Ready Uptown Plan (CRUP) workshop at 5:00 PM on Monday, Sept. 22nd at the Riverside Park Conservancy’s 102nd Street Field House (West 101st Street). CRUP is a community-driven emergency preparedness plan for Northern Manhattan. The Riverside Park Conservancy is co-hosting this workshop, which is open to the public. RSVP
Wednesday, Sept. 24
5:00-7:00 PM – WE ACT’s Climate Justice Happy Hour
We’re hosting a Climate Week happy hour from 5:00-7:00 PM on Wednesday, Sept. 24th to provide environmental justice advocates with an opportunity to gather, network, and recharge. Join us and learn about our recent wins, current challenges, and goals for the year ahead. The evening will be hosted at Beverly’s, a creative space built and run by artists at 297 Grand Street in the Lower East Side. RSVP is required, and tickets are $30. This includes an open bar as well as a chance to enter our raffle for prizes that blend climate and art. Reach out to Gianna Folz at gianna@weact.org with any questions. RSVP
Friday, Sept. 26
1:00-4:00 PM – West Harlem Environmental Justice Tour SOLD OUT!
We will be offering Climate Week NYC 2025 attendees free and informative environmental justice walking tours of historic West Harlem on Friday, September 26th. This outdoor walking tour may last up to 2 hours, depending on the number of questions asked (and we encourage questions!), though you are not obligated to complete it. The tour will provide you with a deeper understanding of environmental and climate justice, and the issues we are facing here in New York City. It will showcase some of the work we have done in the community as well as give an overview of what our organization is currently working on.
SOLD OUT! Unfortunately all three of our tours have reached capacity. If you would like to be notified of future tours, you can submit your interest here.
If you already signed up for a tour, please be sure to arrive at our office at least 15-minutes before your tour starts for a brief orientation. Our office is located on the Second Floor of 1854 Amsterdam Avenue, which is at the intersection of 152nd & Amsterdam, and accessible via the C train at 155th; the 1 train at 157th; and the A, C, B, & D trains at 145th). The tour will end on West 125 Street, near Broadway (and the 1 train at 125th). Reach out to Chris at chris@weact.org if you have questions.
EVENTS WE ACT IS PARTICIPATING IN
Friday, Sept. 19-Monday, Sept. 22
The Climate Film Festival
Caleb Smith will serve as one of the jurors at the Second Annual Climate Film Festival, New York City’s premier event dedicated to visionary climate storytelling. Running from Sept. 19-22, the film screenings will be held at the Regal Essex Crossing, located at 129 Delancey Street, and the panels and workshops will be held at Essex Market, which is around the corner at 88 Essex Street. WE ACT Members can enter ticket code CFF-COMMUNITY15 for a 15-percent discount! RSVP
Saturday, Sept. 20
1:00-3:00 PM – Sulfur Bottom Play & Talkback
We will be participating in a climate justice talkback after the 1:00 PM performance of Sulfur Bottom, a play about a family that battles the environmental injustice of the cumulative impacts of pollution in their small town. The show will be held at the Theater Center at 210 West 50th Street. Additional performances will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 24 at 7:30 PM, Saturday, Sept. 27 at 1:00 PM, and Wednesday, Oct. 1 at 7:30 PM. Tickets start at $60. Learn More & RSVP
Sunday, Sept. 21
9:00 AM- 5:00 PM – Street Works Earth
Join Street Works, Make Justice Normal, WE ACT, and dozens of other groups for a joyful street arts and climate action festival at 34th Avenue and 78th Street in Jackson Heights, Queens. For the second year, we’re bringing together artists, neighbors, and changemakers to co-create art, share stories, and learn about how we can care for our planet and each other. Expect a day of hands-on art-making, creative collaboration with local artists, and conversations about the climate justice issues impacting our city. We will have staff tabling at the event, Liz Reyes will be giving a workshop on beauty justice, and Caleb Smith will be speaking. RSVP
Monday, Sept. 22
2:00-3:30 PM – Doing Big Things: Congestion Relief for Cleaner Air, Better Transit, and Safer Streets
Peggy Shepard will participate in this Climate Week NYC panel discussion co-sponsored by Three Cairns Group and Congestion Pricing Now. The invitation-only event will spotlight how public, private, and civic leaders came together to advance this transformative policy – and why that collaboration remains essential moving forward. In addition to Peggy, confirmed panelists so far include Regional Plan Association Vice President for Transportation Tiffany-Ann Taylor, New York University Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service Dean and Global Distinguished Professor Polly Trottenberg, and Partnership for New York City President & CEO Kathy Wylde, with Riders Alliance Executive Director Betsy Plum moderating.
Tuesday, Sept. 23
5:30 PM – WE ACT 4 Change’s Leadership in Climate Civics Panel
WE ACT 4 Change is hosting a Leadership in Climate Civics panel discussion on the importance of electing candidates committed to equitably addressing the climate crisis. It will be held at 5:30 PM on Tuesday, September 23rd via Zoom. Speakers will include Democratic National Committee Council on the Environment and Climate Crisis Chair Michelle Deatrick, Sierra Club New York State Political Chair Edward Berry, and Manhattan Young Democrats President Liz Cohen in a panel moderated by WE ACT 4 Change’s Political Action Lead Paul Presendieu. RSVP
Wednesday, Sept. 24
2:00-3:30 PM – Developing Cumulative Impacts Permitting Protections: Policy Design, Decision Points, and Lessons Learned from a State-by-State Review Webinar
Briana Carbajal will be speaking at Developing Cumulative Impacts Permitting Protections: Policy Design, Decision Points, and Lessons Learned from a State-by-State Review, a webinar hosted by the Tishman Center from 2:00-3:30 PM on Wednesday, Sept. 24. The webinar will share key findings from a first-of-its-kind policy review and database designed to support the integration of cumulative impacts into state environmental permitting frameworks. Spurred by the leadership of environmental justice advocates, states are increasingly engaging in policymaking to respond to the cumulative environmental and social burdens faced by environmental justice communities.
This event is designed for scholars, analysts, technical professionals, and environmental justice advocates committed to developing strong and equitable cumulative impacts policies. The topics of discussion will include trends and patterns in proposed and passed state cumulative impacts permitting policies as well as common frameworks, innovative policy features, as well as potential loopholes and pitfalls, in policy design. The goal is to launch and publicize a new database on state-level cumulative impacts policies and build momentum for academic collaborators to align with frontline needs in this area. RSVP
Thursday, Sept. 25
12:00-5:00 PM – Harlem Emergency Preparedness Day
The WHCR Emergency Broadcast Team’s annual Harlem Emergency Preparedness Day event, which runs from 12:00-5:00 PM on Thursday, Sept. 25th at 160 Convent Avenue (City College’s Room 1/513). Valentina Rojas will be doing a short Climate Ready Uptown Plan (CRUP) presentation and tabling with CRUP materials as well as sharing information on the Legionnaire’s outbreak. Other attendees will include the FDNY, the Red Cross, Harlem Hospital, Mt. Sinai Hospital, CERT, Cooper Park Houses RA, the Internet Society, NYC Emergency Management (NYCEM), City College President Vince Boudreau, and others. RSVP
Thursday, Sept. 25
1:00- 4:30 PM – New York’s Climate Leadership: Forging Ahead
It’s not easy being green, but in New York, we are full steam ahead. Eric Walker will join a lengthy list of speakers – including NYSERDA President & CEO Doreen Harris, New York State Senator Liz Krueger, New York State PSC Commissioner Denise Sheehan, New York State DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton, to name a few – in this discussion what we are all doing to forge ahead in the wake of federal pushbacks. Topics will include: Legislative and state actions on climate and energy, New York’s Cap-and-Invest program, large-scale renewables, building efficiency, transportation electrification, distributed energy resources, and workforce opportunities. Hosted by Alliance for Clean Energy New York, E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs), Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and New Yorkers for Clean Power, this event will be a hybrid – online and in-person at The Mezzanine Event Space (55 Broadway). RSVP
Thursday, Sept. 25
2:00–5:30 PM – New York Community Trust Youth Climate Leadership Forum
Tali Natter and Mae Kennedy will be participating in the New York Community Trust Youth Climate Leadership Forum on Thursday, Sept 25th from 2:00–5:30 PM on Governors Island. Designed for youth climate activists (ages 15–25), participants in this interactive forum will envision a future where the world has ended its addiction to fossil fuels and identify concrete, practical steps our civilization should take to realize that vision. RSVP
OTHER EVENTS FOR CONSIDERATION
Saturday, Sept. 20
11:00 AM-3:30 PM – FutureFEST: Climate Reimagined!
You’re invited to hosted by The New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance is hosting FutureFEST: Climate Reimagined!, a powerful, youth-led climate justice summit designed to inspire, activate, and connect climate leaders from across New Jersey. From 11:00 AM-3:30 PM on Saturday, Sept. 20th at Kean University’s Downs Hall in Union, NJ, this free event will feature a keynote by PODER Austin Policy Director Alexia Leclercq, organizing training facilitated by Climate Revolution Action Network, an eco-futurist fashion show, games and prizes, and more. RSVP
Sunday, Sept. 21
2:00-4:00 PM – Old Power, New Tools: AI and the Future of the Environmental Movement
When people talk about AI and the environment, data centers and energy use are an important part of the story. But there is also a larger and urgent conversation needed about how AI is reshaping power in our communities, climate policy, and philanthropy. It is determining which solutions will be seen as legitimate, who gets funding, and whose voices are heard. These are political choices being made now, often without the participation of those most impacted.
That is why BEA is bringing together environmental justice leaders, national green groups, funders, and others to grapple with the fault lines exposed by AI’s growing influence and to call-out what is at stake. Attendees will hear the pressing questions frontline communities are asking, learn how philanthropy and national greens are responding, and draw on the experience of those who have worked on big tech accountability. Their insights, together with lessons from AI’s track record in other sectors, will highlight what we can expect if its expansion continues unchecked. From there, we will explore how to move from “just AI” toward just and thriving futures, and how we can all act while the path is still being set.
The event will be held at the Monarch Foundation, located at 515 Canal Street, from 2:00-4:00 PM (doors open at 1:30 PM, when a light lunch will be provided). Attendees can join in-person or online, though registration is required. RSVP
Tuesday, Sept. 23
11:30 AM-12:30 PM – Rights of Nature: Protecting Land & Life from Fossil Fuels
12:45-1:45 PM – Appalachia to the Gulf South: Rematriation as Climate Justice
Across Appalachia and the Gulf South, Indigenous women have long led movements to protect land, water, and community – often in the face of environmental destruction, cultural erasure, and climate injustice. As part of Climate Week, 7 Directions of Service will host discussions that centers rematriation – a framework for climate justice rooted in returning land to Indigenous stewardship, reviving matrilineal governance, and restoring cultural and ceremonial relationships with Mother Earth. The events will be held at 545 Eighth Avenue, Suite 2110 on the 21st floor. RSVP
Tuesday, Sept. 23
6:30-7:30 PM – Indigenous-led Rights of Nature: Dismantling Fossil Fuel Colonialism and Building Climate Resilience
From the plains of Oklahoma to the woodlands of the Southeast, Indigenous nations are rising to defend land, water, and climate through the Rights of Nature framework – laws and cultural protocols that recognize rivers, forests, and ecosystems as living entities with the right to exist, regenerate, and thrive. In this evening conversation hosted by 7 Directions of Service, frontline Indigenous leaders will share how they are confronting fossil fuel colonialism – the pipelines, extraction projects, and corporate interests that threaten their communities – and replacing it with climate solutions grounded in Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), matrilineal governance, and land rematriation. This event will be held at 307 West 38th Street, Suite 1505 on the 15th floor. RSVP
Wednesday, Sept. 24
8:00 AM-1:00 PM – Innovations for a Changing Climate: Weathering the Future
On Wednesday, Sept. 24, the Municipal Art Society, AECOM New York Metro, and the New York Climate Exchange host a half-day symposium featuring a keynote by Brad Lander, who, during his tenure as New York City Comptroller, has strengthened efforts to combat the climate crisis and increased public infrastructure investment. Also featuring intelligent weather presentations by Meteomatics and NVIDIA, as well as panels on Built for the Weather and Conquering Cloudbursts. From 8:00 AM-1:00 PM at
AECOM, 605 Third Avenue (Second Floor). RSVP
Wednesday, Sept. 24
9:00-9:50 AM – Challenging Federal Climate Rollbacks
Earthjustice, Environmental Defense Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Sierra Club host Challenging Federal Climate Rollbacks, a Climate Week panel from 9:00-9:50 AM on Wednesday, Sept. 24 at Convene 237 Park Avenue. Earthjustice’s Lauren Wollack, Environmental Defense Fund’s Peter Zalzal, Natural Resources Defense Council’s Meredith Hankins, and Sierra Club’s Patrick Drupp will discuss collaborative efforts to counter the current administration’s rollback of key climate and health protections, including challenges to the EPA’s Clean Air Act Endangerment Finding. Earthjustice’s Sam Sankar will moderate. RSVP
Wednesday, Sept. 24
10:00 AM-12:00 PM – Heatmap House: The Big (Green) Apple
To kick off Heatmap House at Climate Week NYC, Heatmap News is turning the spotlight where it belongs: on New York. From the nation’s largest city to communities across the state, New York is defining what a livable, climate-ready future looks like — not just for itself, but setting an example for cities and states across the country. From 10:00 AM-12:00 PM on Wednesday, Sept. 24th at the Sixth Floor Loft at 873 Broadway, Heatmap House: The Big (Green) Apple will feature a one‑on‑one conversation with one of New York’s top leaders on the state’s climate priorities–from clean energy to resilience to community engagement–and how these efforts are shaping a more sustainable future. RSVP
Thursday, Sept. 25
12:00-7:30 PM – State of Nuestro Clima
As NYC Climate Week fills the city with big ideas and bold commitments, GreenLatinos and UPROSE are creating space for something just as powerful: our stories, our struggles, and our solutions. Join the State of Nuestro Clima, a come-as-you-are, all-day gathering where culture, resistance, and climate justice collide. Held at UPROSE, 462 36th Street Brooklyn, from 12:00-7:30 PM on Thursday, Sept. 25th, this event includes panels, conversation, and a happy hour/awards to honor climate justice champions. RSVP
Thursday, Sept. 25
4:30-5:45 PM – Achieving Affordability in an Uncertain Future: Equitable Residential Decarbonization Models that Deliver
How can we deliver affordability for residents today while building equitable decarbonization and electrification programs that are scalable for the future? Come to Building Power Resource Center’s special Climate Week panel discussion from 4:30-5:45 PM on Thursday, Sept. 25th at 136 East 24 Street (Second Floor) for this lively, in-person discussion exploring four distinct program models for equitable residential building decarbonization and electrification, examining their structures, strengths, and key takeaways. We’ll also discuss the importance of strong coalitions, co-governance, and effective media strategies in driving success. RSVP
Friday, Sept. 26
9:00-10:30 AM – Urban Ecology through Community & Culture
Join the New York Climate Exchange, Latinxs in Sustainability, and Buro Happold for a dynamic breakfast and discussion exploring sustainability through the lens of the Latinx community. This intersectional conversation will explore how identity and lived experience shape our relationship with the environment. With a focus on urban forestry and environmental justice, the panel will examine disparities in green space access, community health outcomes, and environmental policy. The event will be held on Friday, Sept. 26 from 9:00-10:30 AM at Building 309 (Formerly Our Lady Star of the Sea) on Governors Island and is part of a series of events being hosted the New York Climate Exchange during Climate Week. RSVP
Friday, Sept. 26
9:00 AM to 12:00 PM – Acting on Air Quality: Open Data for Greater Impact
Climate TRACE and OpenAQ are hosting Acting on Air Quality: Open Data for Greater Impact on Friday, Sept. 26 from 9:00 AM-12:00 PM at the Cisco office. This event is designed to educate attendees on accessing open data and tools available for tracking climate and air quality data from Climate TRACE and OpenAQ, respectively and event will also have open networking sessions to provide an opportunity for attendees to connect and share insights. RSVP