Climate Change Conversation Persists at New York Climate Week
New York Climate Week rebounded this year after a brief moment of uncertainty last year when the Trump Administration's stance on climate change sparked doubts about its viability. But despite some concerns, leaders from top companies and organizations attended the event, engaging in serious discussions about AI-driven electricity demand, geopolitical disruptions to energy markets, and energy policy.
According to Sarah Kapnick, head of climate advisory at JPMorgan, people are now looking at the things that cause volatility, including geopolitics, sustainability, climate, and AI. She noted that companies are putting these factors together to better understand their impact on businesses.
The energy-market disruption caused by the war in Iran was a major topic of discussion during Climate Week. The effects of climate change, such as storms, heat waves, and fires, have also begun to extract real economic damage that even resilient firms can no longer ignore.
However, there are caveats to the apparent vitality of New York Climate Week. European participation has diminished somewhat, particularly from Europe, as many leaders prefer to attend climate gatherings in London or other cities across the Atlantic instead of traveling to the US.