Thoughts from NYCW 2025
Initial reflections from a week in the Big Apple for New York Climate Week
Having just landed from New York and New York Climate Week #NYCW and while still in a jet lagged mood I figured I would jot down some reflections
The tag line for this year’s event was “Power-On” and that seemed to be the recurring theme. Rather than commiserating, shaking your head in disbelief, asking or offering hugs or outrighrt Greta-style screaming “How Dare You!?” in the halls of the United Nations, the mood this year seemed to have a sense of resolve about moving forward knowing that momentum across the world continues, even if our host country this week (or its current Administration at least) is seeking to slow down, block or outright deny progress.
A recurring theme centered on the need for storytelling. While the US press might be focused on the on-again off-again story of massive offshore wind project in Rhode Island, across conversations, across events it seemed everyone had an annecdote of what’s going right.
From Pakistan going full throttle and becoming the largest importer of solar in 2024, to the image below shared by Ember, with exponential graph after exponential graph.
To a fellow VC recounting her recent trip to Kenya where she discovered that 90% of its energy was already renewable (geothermal)…
…to China’s CO2 emissions falling for the first time last year even before it came out halfway through the week with a commitment to reduce emissions by up to 10% by 2035. And while some were hoping for more ambitious 30% reductions Bernice Lee of countered
“There are UN targets, and then there’s reality,” she said. “The reality is the country invested $625bn in clean energy last year — 31% of the global total. Its clean energy surge is reshaping the global economy and displacing coal at home. My bet is that other countries will read the writing on the wall and recognise that China is fully committed, and be reassured as they seek to shift off fossil fuels.”
…to championing that in California (I know not a different country but it could feel that way sometimes) “Innovation is undeniable: 62% renewables, 1000% battery growth from >1 GW to 13 GW, and gas use down 44% from 2025 to 2023”
…to my friend and colleague co-releasing ‘The Copenhagen Way’ sharing lessons of the turnaround of a city that was almost bankrupt into one of the most liveable and sustainable in the world.
Another recurring theme was one of semantics. Whether it has evolved from “impact investing” to “ESG” to “ClimateTech” to “Transition Capital” to “Woke Capitalism” or “Energy Independence” the argument made several was that whatever you want to call it, the capital being deployed into the space remain unabated. The train has left the station… with $2 trillion expected to have been invested in 2024 (on a pathway to a required $6 trillion by 2028) with private investment surpassing public investments for the first time in 2023.
And in the middle of 100,000 people and a thousand events we even managed to not only dissipate across the city but also convene for some of our own including an Innovation Breakfast convened with fellow aligned VCs featuring many of our portfolio companies (aided by a stunning terrace and view)
I am sure that as the jet lag dissipates many more lessons will come forth, but the vibes as I landed back in London were very much aligned to theme of this year’s event… Power On!
