Climate Week NYC 2025: Threads of urgency and hope

Every September, Climate Week NYC draws the global climate community into a whirlwind of conversations, commitments, and connections. For Forum, it also feels like a homecoming—our US journey began in Brooklyn 15 years ago, reminding us of our roots and the urgent challenges shaping our shared future.

This year's Climate Week was both sobering and energizing. Sobering, because the signals are undeniable: the climate crisis is accelerating, political landscapes remain fraught, and systemic change is still too slow. Energizing, because amidst these headwinds, people continue to push forward. We heard climate reframed as a workforce and economic issue, food systems re-examined through the lens of farmer livelihoods, and bold calls for energy and business transitions to be just and inclusive.

What resonated most were the human realities beneath the headlines—the Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis describing hurricane season as “Russian roulette”; farmers unable to cover costs despite booming regenerative markets; and workers facing escalating risks from extreme heat. These stories remind us that climate change is not abstract, but lived.

As we reflect, a deeper question lingers: what does a flourishing life and society require, and why do we continue reinforcing systems that undermine them? At Forum, we believe the answer lies in transforming three interconnected challenges: accelerating a just energy transition through the Responsible Energy Initiative, reimagining resilient food systems with Growing our Future, and reshaping the very purpose of business through initiatives such as the Climate and Health Coalition.

The Climate and Health Coalition is reshaping the purpose of business by aligning climate action with human health and wellbeing

Extreme heat and its impacts on workers were highlighted as urgent risks at Climate Week, underscoring that climate change is not only an environmental challenge but a material business risk. Rising temperatures threaten productivity, supply chain continuity, and workforce wellbeing, making business action critical. Since 2021, the Climate and Health Coalition has been bringing together businesses, civil society, and health actors to put human wellbeing at the heart of climate action.