Envisioning the Future of the Environmental Justice Movement
A Climate Week NYC 2026 Convening at the Lee C. Bollinger Forum at Columbia University
Tuesday, September 22nd – 8:00 AM-7:30 PM
RSVP
8:00–9:00 AM
Registration, Coffee, & Networking in the Atrium
Coffee, light bites, and networking
9:00–9:30 AM
Welcome Remarks in the Main Auditorium
9:45–10:45 AM
Fireside Chat: 35 Years Since the First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit in the Main Auditorium
Several leaders of the monument will reflect on the historic First National Environmental Justice Leadership Summit – which was held in October 1991 in Washington, DC – and how it helped shape the movement.
11:00 AM–12:00 PM (Concurrent Sessions)
The Role of Environmental Justice Academic Centers in the Main Auditorium
Leaders from some of the most prominent environmental justice academic centers will discuss the ways their institutions can best contribute to the future of the movement.
11:00 AM–12:00 PM (Concurrent Sessions)
Community-Based Climate Resilience Solutions in Room 315
A panel discussion on building climate resilience through policy, on-the-ground practice, and infrastructure investment in environmental justice communities.
12:00–1:15 PM
Lunch in the Atrium
1:30–2:30 PM (Concurrent Sessions)
The Path Forward: Climate Policy & Regulations Beyond the Rollbacks in the Main Auditorium
Panelists will chart a proactive agenda for climate action across the federal and New York landscapes, looking beyond the current rollbacks toward durable, ambitious policy.
1:30–3:45 PM (Concurrent Sessions)
Voices Shaping the Next Generation of the Environmental Justice Movement in Room 315
This extended panel discussion puts a new generation of movement leaders in the room to discuss where they see the movement over the coming decade.
2:45–3:45 PM (Concurrent Sessions)
The Cost of Cutting Corners: Permitting, Public Health & the Future of Environmental Justice in the Main Auditorium
A panel discussion on the need to resist compromise and instead scale-up proven local solutions.
4:00–5:00 PM(Concurrent Sessions)
Sustainable, Healthy, Affordable Housing in the Main Auditorium
Housing sits at the intersection of health, climate, and economic justice – where a home should be affordable to keep, safe to live in, and built to last. This panel will explore how we deliver housing that meets all three demands at once.
4:00–5:00 PM (Concurrent Sessions)
Data Centers: Lessons from Local Campaigns in Room 315
This panel will convene experts that are confronting data centers from several regions to discuss the parallels and differences in their experiences and ultimately take away lessons on data center organizing from across the country.
5:30–7:30 PM
Closing Reception in the Atrium
Drinks, light fare, networking, and a keynote address (6:00–6:45 PM)
RSVP HERE
The Lee C. Bollinger Forum at Columbia University is located at 601 West 125th Street (the corner of Broadway & West 125th Street). The event is co-hosted by WE ACT for Environmental Justice, the Columbia Climate School, and Beyond Plastics. Entry is free to all, though we welcome donations. If your organization is a Tides Foundation WE LEAD grantee and you are interested in receiving a general operating support grant towards attending Clime Week NYC 2026, please apply here before Wednesday, August 26th.