Sayesha Dogra – Need for Community-building for Better Climate Action
NYCW was a good validation for the need for community building at different levels to especially break access barriers to further climate action. It was a massive playground to learn what has (not) worked for ecosystem builders from different parts of the world.
However, Climate Week was also a case in point for hypocrisy, with many not walking their talk by generating substantial amounts of waste at their events through the use of varied single-use items.
Natasha Zarine – Building Partnerships
Going to the New York Climate Week was an eye-opener. To be in a space with such high achievers, driving real impact on the ground, to be at events curated specially to handle each aspect of the complex challenges around climate, community and economy. The events I attended gave me an insight into fundraising in the US, building multilateral partnerships for scale and surrounding yourself with a community that has the same goals and takes on similar challenges.
I came back with connections in India and with a partnership that I am returning to the US to seal soon. The experience was invaluable, and the exposure was inspiring. I am grateful to the Women Climate Collective (WCC) and L’Oréal for the opportunities they’ve been sending my way and for the warm and effective partnership that we are building.
Heeta Lakhani – Get Outside of Our Silos
New York Climate Week always reminds me of how much diversity exists in the work that people do in taking climate action. This year’s NYCW was especially so since it brought together stakeholders from all over the globe who were there for the United Nations General Assembly, the Summit of the Future and its action days as well as those for Climate Week.
The week was busy with multiple events, meetings and conversations. I met with program partners, donors and many friends from the climate space. My biggest takeaways were that a lot is going on globally to find solutions and combat the climate crisis. Here are my learnings:
- We need more collaboration and partnerships and actively get outside of our silos to build the pace and scale of our work and efforts
- We need to hand over the baton to those that are most affected by the impacts of the climate crisis, i.e. children and youth, women and other genders, local and indigenous communities, amongst others.
- The private sector plays a massive role in steering and spearheading climate action. Philanthropists along with the private sector have the key to steering finance flows in suitable directions. We need them to increase their ambition and diversify the types of funding available and ensure a more just and equitable distribution of funds, especially to newer, young, grassroots organizations doing meaningful work on the ground.
Nidhi Pant – Need for Stronger Policy Frameworks
The New York Climate Week provided me with a much-awaited opportunity to interact with other climate champions. We discussed among other issues, the urgency of decisive action from individuals, corporations and governments to prevent adverse climate impacts.
We also discussed the importance of expanded public engagement campaigns to raise awareness and inspire local action. One thing we all agreed upon was the vital role that the private sector can play in shaping climate solutions. The conversations at the NYCW also encouraged corporations to set net-zero targets, invest in renewable energy and embrace circular economy practices.
A call was issued seeking transparent reporting on carbon footprints and stronger regulations to combat greenwashing.
There was an additional emphasis on mobilizing capital for sustainable projects, particularly in developing nations, to support access to green finance.
The Summit further highlighted the need for stronger policy frameworks and international cooperation. The participants concurred that while local action is essential, global coordination and consistent policy enforcement are key to achieving climate targets.
