NY Climate Tech: Nov 12 - Nov 19
Trivia, transportation, data, dumplings, out in climate, churros, urban tech, ways to take local action, and more events this week
Hi friends,
Drought, fires in Prospect Park and New Jersey, and a presidential election. What a week it’s been. If there’s one thing that makes me hopeful, it’s the incredible community behind this work—a community that’s more important than ever. There’s a lot happening this week: go meet some fellow New Yorkers in climate, you won’t regret it.
If you’re feeling energized to take action, there are two immediate ways to help on the local front. Today, you can call Governor Hochul and encourage her to push congestion pricing over the finish line before the end of the year. Join a call relay here. On November 20th, you can support CUNY and renewable energy in NY at the next New York Power Authority public hearing. Find out how to get involved here.
Finally, I’ve added a little note about what this all means for how we identify and promote our work on climate. Scroll on down for this week’s full list of events.
Here are our picks for the week:
Tuesday (today): 🍏 Green Apple Trivia and 🚲 Make It in Brooklyn Future of Transportation Pitch Contest
Wednesday: 🥟 Data + Dumplings NYC #2 and 🏳️🌈 Out in Climate - Fireside Chat with NYC Climate Government Leaders
Next Tuesday: 🌇 Urban Tech Summit 2024 – Intelligence for Climate Adaptation
Cheers,
Alec, Sonam, and the Climate Tech Cities Team
This Week’s Events
🍏 Green Apple Trivia: Tue, Nov 12
🚲 Make It in Brooklyn Future of Transportation Pitch Contest: Tue, Nov 12
🌊 From Oceans to Markets: Marine Exploitation and Climate-Economy Dynamics: Tue, Nov 12
💧 HEP Conference 2024: Tue, Nov 12
🏙️ NYC Accelerator Open House: Wed, Nov 13
🥟 Data + Dumplings NYC #2: Wed, Nov 13
🏳️🌈 Out in Climate - Fireside Chat with NYC Climate Government Leaders: Wed, Nov 13
🏙️ Increase portfolio value and solve tenant issues with climate tech: Wed, Nov 13
🧬 Founder-Led Biotech NYC Tour: Thu, Nov 14
☕️ The 3rd Annual Churros and Chocolate: Fri, Nov 15
🤑 GREENWASHED Happy Hour and Reception: Mon, Nov 18
🌇 Urban Tech Summit 2024 – Intelligence for Climate Adaptation: Tue, Nov 19
🌐 Ecosystem Builders & Leaders in Impact: Happy Hour: Tue, Nov 19
The End of Climate?
By Alec Turnbull
Is this the end of climate? Certainly not of climate change, which is on track to accelerate whether we do anything about it or not. Nor of the climate and environmental movement, which is resilient, sophisticated, and will continue fighting.
What I’m talking about is “climate” as a label. I’m writing this as someone who is steeped in it: I co-founded Climate Tech Cities and the Climate Film Festival. When I made the active decision to pivot my career into this work, two of the first communities I discovered were Work on Climate and My Climate Journey, not to mention the hundreds of other organizations with climate in their name.
It wasn’t always so. Before climate tech, we called it clean tech; before climate change was mainstream, we called it global warming. What was once a neutral or scientific term becomes too loaded, and the movement shifts to something new in an attempt to overcome that stigma. We’ve seen this pattern with clinical terms in mental health becoming disparaging epithets, only to be replaced and for that new term to have its own time.
Last week, My Climate Journey put out their last podcast episode under that name. The new one? “Inevitable.”
Is “climate” just too hot to handle now? Is it counterproductive in the US, and should we move on to other terms to get the work done?
On one hand, the answer is obviously yes. A Trump presidency will at best be skeptical of anything labeled climate, at worst openly hostile. And the private sector will follow suit: as we’ve seen with the ESG backlash, companies and investors will pull back on public commitments (even if they continue to do some of the same work with less fanfare). Climate as a label can be replaced with any number of terms—”resiliency,” “the energy transition,” and “clean air and water” work across the political spectrum.
But climate is more than a label. It’s a metonym. When we say “work on climate,” what we’re really talking about is working together on the largest problem of our time. The very broadness of the definition is the point: every job can be a climate job, because climate is a systemic problem. Working on “climate” isn’t about picking an industry or lane—it’s an attitude and approach to a career and purpose that takes on a notion of broader impact. We know that burning fossil fuels creates global warming, that the effects of every incremental degree lead to devastating loss, and that to continue living as we do, we need to act together to renew and regenerate our economy and world.
Climate change is intimidating, but working on climate is inspiring. And hard. No one chooses to take on a large, systemic, intractable problem because they’re looking for easy work. We need to rebuild the whole infrastructure of the 20th century. In a time when so many people are dissatisfied with the status quo, the climate movement says: “let’s roll up our sleeves and start.”
The end of climate? As a label, it will certainly lose some of its luster for investors. I expect we’ll see a lot less “climate tech,” a lot more infrastructure and resilience. Climate has never been an industry. Energy, materials, supply chains, finance, food, fashion, waste—these are all the sectors that people actually work on. And so perhaps losing climate and gaining specificity is about more than just political wordsmithing: it can actually bring clarity to what needs to be done.
But as a metonym, climate captures something more powerful than any single industry term could convey—it represents our collective recognition that these disparate efforts are all part of the same vital mission. At this moment, I still believe that climate still captures a meaning that cannot be replaced, but whether we call it climate work, resilience, or just the next chapter of innovation, the underlying truth remains: we're all building towards a future where our economy and planet thrive together. The words may change, but the work continues.
🌎 Climate Tech Cities and Streetlife Ventures Startup and Talent Platforms
Climate Tech Cities and Streetlife Ventures are launching new platforms to support climate founders, funders, and career transitioners! There is no shortage of great companies raising money for their groundbreaking ideas, great investors looking to support with capital, and great talent living the mantra that every job is a climate job. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Community Shoutouts
🌇 Urban Tech Summit 2024: Nov 19
The 2024 Urban Tech Summit, focusing on the theme of “Intelligence for Climate Adaptation” is only a few weeks away! Join Cornell Tech on November 19-20 at its Roosevelt Island campus for two days of keynotes, panel discussions, and interactive workshops addressing critical challenges like extreme heat, flooding, renewable energy, building systems, and urban logistics. Don’t hesitate - get your tickets today!
🤖 Transition-AI 2024: Dec 3 in Washington, DC
Ready to explore the future of AI in the power sector? Join Transition-AI 2024, hosted by Latitude Media, and be at the forefront of the AI-energy revolution. Discover how AI is transforming utilities, grid operations, and asset management – as well as how data center developers can meet surging power demands with clean energy. Join industry leaders for a day of networking and education, featuring speakers from Google, Meta, Dominion Energy, DOE and more. Space is limited, so register now to secure your spot!
Opportunities
🎨 Start-ups Application for Parsons Collab: Climate Startups & UX Design - CRN 15717 - Prof.Sally Chung: Nov 10
Calling early-stage NYC climate tech start-ups to collaborate with top-tier designers from Parsons School of Design. Early-stage climate start-ups in NYC will be paired with the selected top design students(based on portfolio & interview) for a semester-long collaboration to validate product-market fit & tackle UX.
🚀 Scale For ClimateTech, Cohort 6 Application Survey: Nov 30
Scale For ClimateTech provides immersive training on manufacturing for climatetech hardware innovators, along with a team dedicated to making manufacturing easier — from mentors, experts in the field and product and packaging designers, to manufacturers, suppliers, and investors. Participating companies receive access to dedicated mentors, entry into the New York State hardware ecosystem, Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) assessments from industry experts, a deeper understanding of GHG metrics and impact in their target market, customized roadmap development, and introductions to strategic partnerships, investors, and founder-friendly contract manufacturers to commercialize technology in New York State and beyond.
⚡️ NextEra Investments | Seed Competition: Dec 1
Startups, NextEra Energy Investments is ready to fuel your growth with up to $1 million in seed funding! The 2025 NextEra Energy Investments Seed Competition offers up to $1M in seed capital for cutting-edge solutions in cybersecurity, data & AI, decarbonization, and energy transition. What’s in it for you? Up to $1M to fuel your next phase of growth. An opportunity to collaborate with the largest renewable energy generator. Access to NextEra’s vast network, expertise, and infrastructure to turn your tech into a market leader.
✍️ 2025 NRDC Climate Storytelling Fellowship | The Black List: Dec 5
The Black List is thrilled to announce that it has partnered with NRDC’s (Natural Resources Defense Council) Rewrite the Future program, The Redford Center, The CAA Foundation, and NBCUniversal to launch the fourth annual NRDC Climate Storytelling Fellowship. The Fellowship will grant $20,000 each to three writers (or writing teams) to support revision of a feature screenplay or pilot that engages with climate change in a compelling way through events, actions, character, emotions, plot, and/or setting.
🏝️ Climate Pilots at Governor's Island: Dec 5
The Trust for Governors Island offers unique opportunities for innovators to test early-stage climate products and services in a real-world environment. Selected piloting projects utilize Governors Island’s built, social, and natural environments – including a 2.2-mile waterfront, 43-acre climate resilient park, 7 miles of car-free streets, and 50+ historic buildings – to accelerate climate innovation, economic opportunity, and social impact in diverse urban communities.
Upcoming Events
🍄 From Field to Form: Mycelium: Wed, Nov 20
👷♀️ WISE: Networking Lunch: Wed, Nov 20
🏗️ Cornell Infratech Day 2024: Thu, Nov 21
⚡️ Clean Energy in New York Summit: Thu, Nov 21
🏗️ Think Tech: Tools for Meeting Building Decarb Targets: Thu, Nov 21
😂 Apoca-HA-HA-calypse: Sat, Nov 23
🔌 Deploy24: Wed, Dec 4
✍️ Climate Writing Club: Sat, Dec 7
🚀 Climate Tech Demo Night - NY Climate Week Edition - AWS, NYU, Streetlife Ventures: Mon, Dec 9
This Week in Depth
🍏 Green Apple Trivia
When: Tuesday, November 12 · 7 - 9pm EST
Where: Mercury Bar West, 9th Avenue, New York, NY, USA 659 9th Avenue New York, NY 10036
Welcome to Green Apple Trivia! Get ready to put your knowledge to the test and compete against other trivia and sustainability enthusiasts. Join us in Manhattan at Mercury Bar West for an opportunity to win bragging rights, prizes, and enjoy a night of entertainment... including a full vegan menu and happy hour until 10pm!
🚲 Make It in Brooklyn Future of Transportation Pitch Contest
When: Tuesday, November 12 from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Where: Hana House, 345 Adams St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Get your tickets to the Make It in Brooklyn Future of Transportation Pitch Contest! We’re bringing together a top selection of Brooklyn-based startups who are creating innovative transportation technology. Five founders will pitch to a panel of expert judges, who will evaluate each presentation based on criteria such as innovation, feasibility, market potential, and impact. The $5,000 prize will help the winning startup thrive and take their businesses to the next level.
🌊 From Oceans to Markets: Marine Exploitation and Climate-Economy Dynamics
When: Tuesday, November 12 · 4:30 - 6pm EST
Where: Fayerweather Hall, Room 513, 1180 Amsterdam Avenue New York, NY 10027
This presentation offers insights from the 4-OCEANS project, a comprehensive initiative exploring human-marine interactions throughout history, and presents specific findings on climate-economy dynamics in early modern Europe.
💧 HEP Conference 2024
When: Tuesday, November 12 · 9am - 4pm EST
Where: Kimmel Center for University Life - Eisner & Lubin Auditorium, 60 Washington Square South, New York, NY 10012
This year’s conference will highlight the activities, partnerships, and research shaping the NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program’s (HEP) draft 2025-2035 Action Agenda. This agenda outlines the shared priorities and commitments of HEP and its partners to tackle the estuary’s challenges, including environmental justice and climate resilience. Attendees will have the opportunity to review and comment on the draft 2025-2035 Action Agenda during the 2024 conference.
🏙️ NYC Accelerator Open House
When: Wednesday, November 13 · 6 - 7:30pm EST
Where: 205 Hicks Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Don’t miss this opportunity to see LL97 compliance in action and learn how you can make a difference in your building’s energy efficiency journey! Be sure to follow us on social media for updates and highlights: NYC Accelerator | NYClimate. This open house will feature a tour of 205 Hicks Street, a pre-war multifamily building constructed in 1919, that has made comprehensive upgrades to ensure LL97 compliance.
🥟 Data + Dumplings NYC #2
When: Wednesday, November 13 from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM EST
Where: Index Space, Chinatown, New York, NY
We're back for round #2 of Data + Dumplings NYC. Cecil & Earthmover are gathering folks in the New York area working with nature + climate data. The event will include drinks, dumplings and lightning talks from members of NYC's environmental data community.
🏳️🌈 Out in Climate - Fireside Chat with NYC Climate Government Leaders
When: Wednesday, November 13 from 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Where: The Rockefeller Foundation, 420 5th Ave, New York, NY 10018, USA
Join the Out in Climate community for a fireside chat with Elijah Hutchinson, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice, and Louise Yeung, Chief Climate Officer for the New York City Comptroller. LGBTQ+ sustainability professionals and allies are welcome.
🏙️ Increase portfolio value and solve tenant issues with climate tech
When: Wednesday, November 13 from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Where: Register for Address
This session will demystify how emerging climate technology solutions can increase real estate value, decrease operating expenses, and solve tenant issues for property owners and operators of all sizes. And, rather than talk high-level, we’ll get into the details of the opportunity areas, technologies, and deployment examples.
🧬 Founder-Led Biotech NYC Tour
When: Register to See Address New York, New York
Where: Thursday, November 14 from 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Calling all founders, future founders and members of the biotech ecosystem in New York City. Join the Pillar VC team for a curated, in-person community event at our NYC tour stop! Cocktails, mocktails, and appetizers will be served.
☕️ The 3rd Annual Churros and Chocolate
When: Friday, November 15 from 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Where: Splashlight Studios, New York, NY
We're so excited to host you for the third annual post-MOTF Churros and Chocolate! This is mainly a kick-back - a simple open time for us to come together, enjoy a treat, and reconnect with folks after the largest climate week on the planet. We'll have churros, chocolate, pasta bowls, drinks, and music. The event is open for MOTF attendees, volunteers, exhibitors, sponsors, and friends and family at large.
✍️ How They Did It: Writing Climate Activism Across Genres (Aftershocks)
When: Sunday, November 17 · 3 - 5pm PST
Where: 297 Page St, San Francisco, CA 94102
The climate emergency demands attention, and writers can do their part to spread awareness, spur empathy, and prompt action or reflection among their readers. In 2024’s final “How They Did It” collaboration between Litquake and LitCamp, we’re looking at ways in which writers—regardless of genre or approach—can (and should) incorporate climate activism into their writing. Novelist Vanessa Saunders, memoirist Manjula Martin, poet Amanda Hawkins, science fiction writer Hana Lee, and moderator Nina Schuyler will share their creative ways to grapple with the most urgent issue of our time.
🤑 GREENWASHED Happy Hour and Reception
When: Monday, November 18 · 7 - 10pm EST
Where: KGB Bar, 85 East 4th Street New York, NY 10003
Join us at the KGB Bar for a happy hour and discussion on the role of greenwashing in perpetuating the climate crisis. We will discuss the role of marketing and PR firms, film, and conservation in supporting greenwashing and more. Panelists include Clean Creatives and Micah Kirscher of Redwood Climate Communications! The evening will close with a sneak peak screening of the short documentary "How to Get Away with Greenwashing".
🌇 Urban Tech Summit 2024 – Intelligence for Climate Adaptation
When: November 19 · 10am - November 20 · 5pm EST
Where: Cornell Tech, 2 West Loop Road, New York, NY 10044
Cornell Tech’s Urban Tech Summit returns on November 19-20, 2024, focusing on the theme of “Intelligence for Climate Adaptation.” Organized by the Urban Tech Hub at Cornell Tech’s Jacobs Institute, this year’s Summit will explore cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to create more resilient urban environments.
🌐 Ecosystem Builders & Leaders in Impact: Happy Hour
When: Tuesday, November 19 from 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Where: Near Union Square
Gather together before the holidays with other mission-driven leaders, ecosystem builders, and doers for a casual night of networking near Union Square.