Things I learned From New York Climate Week

New York never stops – but I felt a special buzz during climate week, which I had the pleasure of participating in, both as speaker and panelist. Events all over the city vibrated with participants from diverse sectors – all passionate and optimistic about a sustainable future, and so am I.

The United State’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement has stirred concerns and conversations on the future of our environment, and the steps we can take towards a better future. Cities and companies are no longer waiting for federal-level initiatives and recognize their role and responsibility in creating healthier cities for the environment and for their citizens. That is great!

New York is among these cities leading initiatives to reach the Sustainable Development Goals as set up in the Paris Agreement. The city has committed to reducing Green House Gas Emissions (GHGE) by 80% by the year 2050. Climate Week was an opportunity to lay the many challenges and opportunities that such policies present for New York and other cities learning from its experience.

It was also an opportunity to become familiar with the examples that New York follows – in this case: Copenhagen and its experience turning water-management challenges brought on by cloud bursts into opportunities to engage citizens with their city. 

I was invited to share Henning Larsen’s experience with urban microclimates in the recently won Etobicoke Civic Center with sustainability and environmental leaders from the United States of America and Denmark. I was privileged to present as part of a panel that included leaders from Seattle (Paul Fleming - Climate Resiliency Group), Washington D.C. (Tommy Wells - Director at the Department of Energy and Environment), and Cambridge (Susanne Rasmussen, Director of the Environmental and Transportation Planning Division). Danish industry and city leaders including Morten Kabell (Copenhagen’s Mayor of Technical and Environmental Affairs), Lykke Leonardsen (Program Director at Resilient and Sustainable City Solutions), and Christian Nyerup Nielsen (Ramb?ll) were part of this panel too. One of my key points was that a public-private partnership is not only about optimizing the technical infrastructure - it is about sharing a mindset: Lifting an ambition, to create architecture that gives back to cities.

Climate Week gathered public and private entities looking to learn and collaborate with other cities and companies that are responding creatively to issues arising with climate change. American cities and companies joined Danish leaders in the fields of sustainability and environmentally engaged architecture, urbanism and infrastructure gathered to share challenges and look for future opportunities for collaboration.

We were honored to participate in this conversation - not only for the opportunity to share our knowledge and experience but also to explore future collaborations, investigations and for opportunities to keep learning from key players that gather in buzzing New York, where we recently opened our newest global office.