Climate Week NYC 2023: In person or remotely, join Jane Fonda and IPCC Chair Jim Skea for the world’s biggest meeting of climate activists

With just days to go until Climate Week NYC begins on September 18, Climate Group is proud to announce author and activist Jane Fonda and IPCC chair Jim Skea among the latest speakers set to share their insights on climate action at the Opening Ceremony and The Hub Live.

See More of our coverage of Climate Week HERE

Jane Fonda is an author and activist who has spent the last several decades campaigning for Indigenous

peoples’ rights, economic justice, LGBTQ rights, protesting the War, gender equality and more. Now, she continues to lead the charge on the climate emergency via Fire Drill Fridays, a national movement to protest government inaction on climate change which started in October 2019 and is focused on defeating political allies of the fossil fuel industry.

“We are in a planetary crisis. If we want to ensure our survival on a livable planet, we must prevent any new fossil fuel development and phase out of fossil fuels altogether over the next several decades. President Biden should declare a climate emergency and stop approving new fossil fuels.”

– Jane Fonda

Jim Skea was elected Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in July 2023 and is a Professor of Sustainable Energy at Imperial College London.

“Climate change is a threat to the health of our planet and a critical challenge for humanity in this century. It is happening now. We can see and feel its effects around the world daily.

“We, as human beings, have the capacity to act to avoid the worst by cutting our emissions, strengthening resilience and reducing vulnerabilities. We have the know-how and the means to make deep and rapid cuts in emissions and adapt to human-caused climate change.

“I’m delighted to be speaking at this year’s Climate Week NYC, where business and government join their efforts to tackle climate change. This is the decade for more comprehensive and determined climate action”.

– Jim Skea, Chair of IPCC

Climate Week NYC, organized by Climate Group in partnership with the UN General Assembly and the City of New York, brings together business leaders, political decision takers, local change makers and civil society representatives from all backgrounds to discuss how to accelerate climate action, fast. It kickstarts and drives international climate discussions throughout the fall, supporting the UNSG Climate Summit and the lead-up to COP28.

Other speakers include:

• Jerome Foster II, 21-year-old environmental justice activist, the youngest-ever White House Advisor and Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director at Waic Up.
• Doreen Harris, President and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is presiding over New York’s offshore wind target to install 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035; the largest offshore wind goal of any state in the United States.
• Juan Manuel Santos, a member of The Elders, and former President of Colombia between 2010-2018, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2016 for his role in leading peace negotiations with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), ending 50 years of intractable civil war.
• Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer (Wolf Clan), Grand Chief of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawàke made history as the first woman to be elected as the Grand Chief in the community of Kahnawà:ke and leads on reversing the effects of climate change on indigenous peoples.

See the full list of speakers: https://www.climateweeknyc.org/speakers

Under the call We Can. We Will. this year’s Climate Week NYC will focus on the action we need to take now, the barriers that need breaking down and the need to look ahead, exploring new opportunities. For more information about the program, visit our website.  

“Climate change is here – scorching heatwaves, wildfires, and unforgiving floods are our wake-up call. But we’re not hitting snooze. It’s time for a game-changer, a new Industrial Revolution for our planet powered by clean energy. That’s why we’re bringing together businesses and policymakers at Climate Week NYC – they’ve got the clout and can accelerate the change that’s long overdue.”

– Helen Clarkson, CEO of Climate Group

Click here to register for climate week – you can attend virtually or in person!

Check out Climate Week NYC ‘s online events calendar for a full list of events you can attend or view remotely.