Let's UnF#%k the Planet! Highlights of New York Climate Week from a first-timer

If ever there was a manifestation of what collaborating for climate action looks like, it’s New York Climate Week!?

Over 600 official Climate Week events throughout the city, as well as the United Nations meeting, plus hundreds of more unofficial affiliated events, meetings, gatherings, and activations. Here are my highlights from a first time Aussie participating in the Big Apple’s ode to climate action.?

Beyond Politicians Making Promises?

Unlike other global forums on climate, this week was about the doers! Yes there was lots of talk but the focus was action from the leaders at the forefront of climate tech innovation and the deployment of climate capital. It was about solutions, opportunities and possibilities of this new frontier.?

Diversity Beyond Tokenism?

Although disappointingly there were still some manels (all-male panels). The leaders in climate tech, climate action and climate capital are diverse. The UN estimates that 80% of people displaced by climate change are women and minority groups as well as those already disadvantaged socioeconomically are more adversely affected by climate change. So it makes sense that those most affected are the ones perfectly positioned to innovate the solutions. The only way we are to solve the climate crisis, is if we are diverse and inclusive so it was absolutely awesome to see the leaders this week display and embody that.?

A.I. A.I. A.I. A.I.?

Everywhere you looked from agendas, panels, and even billboards AI was an omnipresent force across the city that never sleeps. For me, I think Ethan Soloviev summed it up best “In 5 years 90% of the food we eat will be touched by AI in some way,” and now I’m paraphrasing, but most of the AI tech in deployment today is about efficiency. What we don’t want to happen is doing more of and faster of the things that haven’t really served our climate that well.?

We don’t just want Generative AI, or even Regenerative AI but AI for regeneration! That is the alchemy of climate tech and AI.?

The Aussies really made an impact!?

From Seaforest announced as a finalist in the Earthshot Prize to Climate Salad and Investment NSW’s climate tech trade delegation, the Sunburnt country flexed its climate innovation muscle.?

Australian climate tech community Greenhouse launched a global Innovation Challenge with the World Economic forum on Green Steel. Connecting the problem owners with the solution makers for near-zero steel the world over.?

The Aussie were clearly a force for good, breaking the stereotype of a laid back surfer culture, although surfing can never be a bad idea. Australian VC, Regen Ventures partnered up with Propeller VC to take a bunch of climate founders and investors surfing at Rockaway Beach. What a way to form climate connections with saltwater, sand and shackas.?

The Australian Climate Tech Opportunity was proudly on display high on the New York skyline at Climate Zeitgeist and Austrade official New York Climate Week event.? Kristin Ellis of Lower Carbon Capital, along with Pollination’s Megan Flynn, Wollemi Capital’s Chris Magalhaes and Earthshot Prize finalist Sam Elsom of Seaforest spoke to Australia’s unique vantage point to be world-leading in climate solutions.

As Peter Castellas put it, “Australia has all the ingredients to be a globally significant player in the climate solutions industry.”

We’re an innovation playground, one of the most capital-efficient producers of unicorns in the world, only bested by Norway. Rich in natural capital and generous with land, we have deep R&D support and a thriving climate tech innovation ecosystem, cohesive and collaborative climate capital, plus we have the capital (fourth largest pension pool in the world). So as Kristen put it, let’s?

?“Unf#$k the planet!”

Incredibly grateful to Climate Zeitgeist team Peter Castellas and Michele Hartz and Greenhouse for my first New York Climate Week. Feeling (albeit jetlagged) inspired, motivated, and ready to connect climate solutions to the capital and customers needed to accelerate their impact!?