Columbia Climate School Named University Partner for Climate Week NYC 2024 – State of the Planet

The Climate Group has once again selected the Columbia Climate School as its university partner for this year’s Climate Week NYC. Running from Sept. 22-29, Climate Week NYC convenes key climate leaders to accelerate climate action and is the largest annual global climate event of its kind.

“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. “The theme of this year’s conference, “It’s Time,” underscores the urgent need to tackle climate change and decarbonize our economies. 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.”

Now in its 16th year, Climate Week NYC brings together businesses, governments, civil society, academia and the wider global audience to showcase leading climate solutions and discuss how to do more, and quickly—a notion embodied by the theme of this year’s conference. Climate Week is organized by Climate Group, in partnership with the UN General Assembly and the City of New York, and this year’s conference will present a program of some 600 events and activities in NYC, designed to push the world to put climate plans into action. Some past Climate Week speakers include Prince Charles, Tim Cook, Jacinda Ardern, Kathy Hochul, Kristalina Georgieva and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. 

Several Climate Week NYC 2024 in-person events will feature Columbia Climate School experts and be hosted on Columbia’s campuses. Highlights include Food for Humanity: Unlocking the Potential of Universities to End Hunger and Malnutrition, with Jessica Fanzo, professor of climate and director of the Food for Humanity Initiative, and Jeff Shaman, interim dean of Columbia Climate School; and Forward Food and Fashion for a Sustainable Future, with Sandra Goldmark, senior assistant dean for interdisciplinary engagement at the Columbia Climate School, Jessica Fanzo and Catherine McKenna, adjunct senior research scholar, Columbia Climate School. More information about speakers, delegates and the events program can be found on the Columbia Climate School NYC Climate Week site.

“We are thrilled to once again partner with Columbia Climate School for Climate Week NYC,” said Angela Barranco, executive director of Climate Group North America. “2024 is a pivotal year for combating climate change, and Columbia Climate School is doing phenomenal work educating the public about the urgency of climate action as well as developing the next generation of climate leaders.”

The Columbia Climate School represents a historic commitment by Columbia to tackle the climate crisis. Established in 2020 as the first new school to be created at Columbia in 25 years, it serves as a hub for research, learning and action. The Climate School builds on Columbia’s strengths to solve problems, educate future climate leaders and generate the knowledge needed to design and inspire solutions as the window to avert the potentially catastrophic effects of climate change closes.

This year’s Climate Week NYC is expected to be even bigger than 2023, which was the most impactful, ambitious and far-reaching one to date. Organizers plan to use the week as a rallying call for the meaningful contributions still needed to halve carbon emissions by 2030 and to be on a path to net-zero by 2050.

”Columbia University continues to embed climate action and sustainability excellence into everything we do. By naming the Columbia Climate School as the official University Partner for the fourth year in a row, the Climate Group is recognizing that leadership and our work to reach our climate and sustainability ambitions,” said Daniel Zarrilli, chief climate and sustainability officer at Columbia University. “Growing risks from storms, heat waves, and wildfires continue to demonstrate the urgent need to build greater resilience, ensure environmental justice, and phase out fossil fuels as we work to ensure a livable future. Columbia is proud to continue this partnership with the Climate Group and offer a full lineup of events to share knowledge and advance climate solutions throughout this year’s Climate Week NYC.”