The A2 Times

“It’s Time!” for the Climate Week Roundup  

by Dorothy Terry

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New York City was the center of the universe for all things climate related during Climate Week, September 22-29. And A2 was there!

Under the theme “It’s Time,” the annual event touched on a variety of issues from energy and environmental justice to food and fossil fuels. The city was a hub of activity as speakers, guests — and protesters — attended more than 600 events and activities. Virtual and hybrid events were also an option.

Climate Week is hosted by Climate Group in partnership with the United Nation’s General Assembly (UNGA) and in coordination with the United Nations and the City of New York. 

Here’s a roundup of activities and announcements curated with an eye toward post-event applications for A2 members:

Biden Speaks on Climate at UNGA
Climate Week coincided with the convening of the 79th session UNGA, which drew President Biden and hundreds of foreign dignitaries to the city.

During his speech before the UN General Assembly on Sept. 24, President Biden touted the United States as having “made the largest investment in climate and clean energy ever, anywhere in history.”

He also spoke on the U.S. rejoining the Paris Agreement, being on track to cut emissions in half by 2030 and quadrupling climate financing to developing nations with $11 billion so far this year.

 
EPA Announces Nationwide EJ Climate Corps
In commemoration of Climate Week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and AmeriCorps announced the Environmental Justice Climate Corps on Sept. 25. The new partnership is a part of President Biden’s American Climate Corps to provide opportunities for people to serve in careers that benefit disadvantaged and other low-income communities. This initiative is being described as the largest environmental partnership in AmeriCorps’ history and EPA’s first nationwide service effort.

Roishetta Ozane speaks at a protest in New York City ahead of Climate Week.
Photo courtesy of Vessel Project social media.

Roishetta Speaks at Protest
Roishetta Ozane of Vessel Project of Louisiana was a guest speaker at the Tear Down the Pillars of Fossil Fuels protest hosted by Fridays For Future on Sept. 20 in New York City ahead of Climate Week. Fridays For Future is a youth-led group founded in 2018, after 15-year-old Greta Thunberg and other young activists sat in front of the Swedish parliament every school day for three weeks, to protest against the lack of action on the climate crisis. Roishetta spoke about the liquified natural gas buildout on the Gulf Coast and her 12-year old daughter, Kamea, spoke about growing up in a heavily polluted community.

New Environmental Podcast Launches
The “Whose Planet?” podcast was launched during Climate Week that centers Black, Indigenous and people of color perspectives in climate justice and aims to show how climate justice is possible if leadership focuses on those most affected by climate harms. Coproduced by Systemic Justice and Tortoise Media, the first episode focuses on the struggle for clean air across Europe and shines a light on grassroots campaigns that confront the harsh realities of air pollution, where poverty, race and class intersect.

Photo of Diamond Spratling courtesy of Daniel Harald Baumann social media.

Diamond Speaks at Event

Diamond Spratling of Girl Plus Environment of Atlanta, Ga., was the keynote speaker on Sept. 25 at the Coming Together for Climate Justice event co-hosted by Ramboll and Henning Larsen Architects. The event featured a roundtable discussion on climate justice and the role of activists, businesses and policy makers. In her keynote address, Spratling focused on how leaders in the climate movement can shift the narrative to create solutions that are equitable and reflective of the communities most impacted by climate change. She also emphasized the critical importance of individuals across all industries committing fully to the fight for climate justice, underscoring that collective action is essential to driving meaningful change.

Flooding Documentary Premieres

“Underwater Projects” made its green carpet premiere during Climate Week. The documentary, co-presented with the Hip Hop Caucus & Climate Film Festival, sounds the alarm about St. Paul’s, a public housing community in Norfolk, Va., in danger of being lost to rising sea levels. The 29-minute film blasts a seawall that only protects downtown businesses and unpacks a controversial “climate resilience” plan between the city and federal agencies that calls for the historic black community to be torn down and redeveloped. The film also highlights what residents are doing to help save their community.

SQREJC member Natalie Bump Vena attends a forum on New York State’s community air monitoring initiative. Photo courtesy of SQREJC.

Southeast Queens Residents Environmental Justice Coalition (SQREJC) didn’t have to go far to participate in Climate Week activities. On Sept. 24, SQREJC member Natalie Bump Vena attended a forum on New York State’s Community Air Monitoring Initiative, and on Sept. 28, members Kathy Rufus and Aracelia Cook represented the group at the Queens Borough President’s Climate Expo, an annual event that highlights Queens’ resilience in the face of climate change. New York City boroughs are facing extreme heat, coastal storms, flooding and episodes of elevated ozone.

SQREJC members Kathy Rufus (left) and Aracelia Cook represent the group at the Queens Climate Expo.

Tap Into FLOWER Power!

Learn about FLOWER, Multisolving Institute’s interactive online community engagement tool that launched during Climate week. The tool, which can be accessed online and also completed with paper and pencil, aims to spark thought about the co-benefits a project might produce if it includes a collaborative approach. FLOWER prompts some of the most important questions about multisolving to tackle climate issues: Who would need to be involved? How do we design for co-benefits? How do we ensure burdens and benefits are shared equitably?

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