Latest news with #ClimateWeek
Forbes
29-05-2025
- General
- Forbes
Will Climate Week NYC 2025 Be A Bust? 'NO!' Says Six Key Insiders
TOPSHOT - People cross the Brooklyn Bridge calling for leaders to "Tear down the pillars of fossil ... More fuels" during a Youth Global Climate demonstration ahead of the UN Climate week and General Assembly in New York City on September 20, 2024. (Photo by Alex KENT / AFP) (Photo by ALEX KENT/AFP via Getty Images) Climate Week NYC 2025 is fast approaching. With just a few months left for organizations to decide whether or not they want to participate this year, given the current political climate in the United States, it's critical to get a read on the pulse of what is being anticipated come September. One key indicator is that the New York Times announced yesterday that it will return to Climate Week NYC with The Climate Forward Live Event for its fourth consecutive year. I asked 6 key players affiliated with Climate Week NYC for their thoughts on what to expect. Angela Barranco, Executive Director of Climate Group North America—arguably the central convener for Climate Week NYC—describes it as 'the biggest global event of its kind, bringing together tens of thousands of people from all over the world. It's more than just a week of events—it's the moment that shapes how businesses and governments act on climate for months and even years afterward.' Barranco went on to explain the critical importance of climate week this year. She states, Barranco's sentiments seem to prevail across Climate Week NYC insiders. Let's hear what some others have said. More people are concerned about the health of the planet than ever before and that's why Climate Week in 2025 will be the biggest yet. Being the hottest year ever recorded, 2024 also produced a record amount of extreme weather and gave us a clear picture of the future we do not want. People want a more stable, resilient, and sustainable future and at the same time many businesses are seeing that environmental responsibility is good business. There are many forces at work to create a brighter future full of opportunity and Climate Week 2025 will be unsurpassed in terms of impact. The Nest Climate Campus is an official partner of Climate Week NYC and takes over the Javits Center on Manhattan's west side. The Nest Climate Campus boasts 9407 attendees last year (up over 50% from 2023), 4383 partner organizations, and 150+ main stage speakers. Attendees can enjoy sponsored sessions on the main stage and various pop up talks and panels on the main floor with celebrities like Bill Nye and Adam Met as featured below. Dr. Sweta Chakraborty and Dr. Adam Met interviewing Bill Nye at the NEST Climate Campus at Climate ... More Week 2024 Food Tank —'the think tank for food'—will take over NPR Studios' The Greene Space during Climate Week NYC 2025 as it did last year. President Danielle Nierenberg said, We Don't Have Time will broadcast live from Climate Week NYC and amplify global reach through studios in Sweden and Kenya. We Don't Have Time partners with organizations ranging from the Clinton Global Initiative to sustainable fashion non-profits like Fashion4Development for the purpose of sharing both innovation and industry progress. We Don't Have Time founder, Ingmar Rentzhog, states: NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 18: Ingmar Rentzhog attends Fashion 4 Development's 3rd Annual ... More Sustainable Goals Banquet at 583 Park Avenue on September 18, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Sylvain Gaboury/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images) The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) plans to show up in force! At a time when the U.S. is experiencing the largest increase in demand for energy since World War II, it is more important than ever that we deploy as much solar and storage as possible. The Solar Energy Industries Association is taking – and will continue to take – that message to every corner of America, including NYC Climate Week. Solitaire Townsend, founder of the change agency, Futerra, describes the establishment of another Climate Week NYC staple: Solutions House. She explains how the House was born when 'Futerra's team in NYC pushed aside a few desks and invited our clients and friends into our offices for small but highly energetic sessions.' She goes on to say that in 2025 'we'll be hosting our largest events yet, in a dedicated 300-seat venue with breakouts, immersion screens and a coffee bar. We've raised more funding, and secured more partners, this year than ever before. Why? Because appetite for solutions, for unexpected content, and for real debate, hasn't dimmed at all.' Definitely a resounding 'NO' according to the 6 key climate players interviewed for this piece. It seems that engagement and participation in Climate Week NYC is an increasing trend especially in recent years. Sure there are fears around speaking up on climate action in the current political climate, but it's clear from those actively working on climate that it's more important than ever to engage. It is possible, however, that this engagement will come primarily from US-based climate advocates. As Ingmar Rentzhog puts it, It remains to be seen just how well attended Climate Week NYC will be in 2025 while the Trump Administration is in power. Perceptions of fear held by climate advocates, whether unfounded or not, can ultimately motivate behavioral outcomes like whether or not to engage in Climate Week NYC 2025. It's clear from the climate insiders interviewed for this piece that not only are they not backing down, but rather that they are ramping up their efforts.
The Star
17-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
AI regulation ban meets opposition from state attorneys general over risks to US consumers
FILE PHOTO: California Attorney General Rob Bonta sits, during a press conference announcing a lawsuit against oil giant Exxon Mobil over its alleged role in global plastic waste pollution at Climate Week in New York City, U.S., September 23, 2024. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo (Reuters) -A Republican proposal to block states from regulating artificial intelligence for 10 years drew opposition on Friday from a bipartisan group of attorneys general in California, New York, Ohio and other states that have regulated high-risk uses of the technology. The measure included in President Donald Trump's tax cut bill would preempt AI laws and regulations passed recently in dozens of states. A group of 40 state attorneys general, including Republicans from Ohio, Tennessee, Arkansas, Utah and Virginia and other states, urged Congress to ditch the measure on Friday, as the U.S. House of Representatives' budget committee geared up for a Sunday night hearing. "Imposing a broad moratorium on all state action, while Congress fails to act in this area is irresponsible and deprives consumers of reasonable protections," said the group. The attorney general from California -- which is home to prominent AI companies, including OpenAI, Alphabet, Meta Platforms and Anthropic -- was among the Democrats who signed the letter. "I strongly oppose any effort to block states from developing and enforcing common-sense regulation; states must be able to protect their residents by responding to emerging and evolving AI technology," Attorney General Rob Bonta said. California implemented a raft of bills this year limiting specific uses of AI, illustrating the kind of laws that would be blocked under the moratorium. Like several other states, California has criminalized the use of AI to generate sexually explicit images of individuals without their consent. The state also prohibits unauthorized deepfakes in political advertising, and requires healthcare providers to notify patients when they are interacting with an AI and not a human. Healthcare provider networks, also known as HMOs, are barred in California from using AI systems instead of doctors to decide medical necessity. House Republicans said in a hearing Tuesday that the measure was necessary to help the federal government in implementing AI, for which the package allocates $500 million. "It's nonsensical to do that if we're going to allow 1,000 different pending bills in state legislatures across the country to become law," said Jay Obernolte, a Republican from California who represents part of Silicon Valley, including Mountain View where Google is based. "It would be impossible for any agency that operates in all the states to be able to comply with those regulations," he said. Google has called the proposed moratorium "an important first step to both protect national security and ensure continued American AI leadership." That position will be tested if the measure makes it to the Senate. It will need to clear the budget reconciliation process, which is supposed to be used only for budget-related legislation. (Reporting by Jody Godoy in New York; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
Business Wire
14-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Mayor Lurie, Intersect Power Announce New Headquarters in Historic Downtown San Francisco Building
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mayor Daniel Lurie and clean energy company Intersect Power, LLC today announced the company's new headquarters at 140 New Montgomery in downtown San Francisco, marking another step in downtown's comeback and underscoring the city's dominance as a global innovation hub and technology leader. To continue this dominance, Mayor Lurie has been working to accelerate downtown's recovery and make San Francisco the best place to do business, including in clean energy and climate innovation. In February, he established a permanent San Francisco Police Department Hospitality Zone Task Force to keep downtown neighborhoods safe 365 days a year, while proposing new state legislation to support nightlife by creating more liquor licenses to encourage the opening of new bars and restaurants. Mayor Lurie has championed entertainment zones—recently signing legislation to designate a new one in the Castro District and advancing legislation to establish five more. In April, the mayor announced three new pop-ups downtown through the expansion of Vacant to Vibrant, a critical public-private partnership bringing new businesses to formerly vacant properties. 'Whether you're a housing developer, a startup founder, or a global company—if you've got a vision, we want you to build it here,' said Mayor Lurie. 'San Francisco is the place to be for the companies driving the future of climate innovation, and I am thrilled to welcome Intersect Power and their new headquarters to downtown San Francisco. Our administration is working every day to provide safe, clean streets downtown and create the conditions for companies big or small to thrive in our city.' Intersect's new headquarters marks yet another investment in San Francisco by a clean energy company. During last month's Climate Week, which drew more than 30,000 attendees and 1,000 organizations to San Francisco, Mayor Lurie joined It's Electric in launching the city's first curbside EV charging stations. Similarly, in April, the mayor and Redwood Materials, a lithium-ion battery recycling and production company, announced the company's new research and development facility at 100 Hooper. In March, Revel opened its first West Coast charging station in San Francisco's Mission District. The new headquarters will provide purpose-built opportunities for employees to gather and collaborate. The company will occupy 12,000 square feet, covering a full floor in the historic Pembroke property at 140 New Montgomery. The building has been a symbol of technology and connection from its construction 100 years ago as the headquarters of one of the country's first telecommunications companies to its role today as a hub for innovative businesses. 'As the digital landscape undergoes a profound transformation, driven by the immense potential of AI, San Francisco remains the undeniable epicenter of that progress,' said Sheldon Kimber, CEO and Founder of Intersect Power. 'The city continues to be a magnet for innovators and builders at the intersection of digitization, electrification and decarbonization and Intersect Power is proud to be a part of that ecosystem.' With San Francisco's robust venture capital funding—the Bay Area has 57% of the U.S. total —and rapidly expanding AI sector, Intersect is well-positioned to help the city's growing AI companies meet both their climate goals and energy needs. Intersect has grown exponentially as it moves forward in building AI data centers with a ' power-first ' approach that co-locates data centers with power generation. With a combination of wind, solar, battery storage, and flexible gas generation, the company can provide the speed, scale, reliability, and cost that data center customers require. As approximately a quarter of Intersect employees are based in the Bay Area, San Francisco has served as a main destination and meeting point for the company's quarterly co-working team weeks, bringing together employees from across North America. Intersect was recently recognized by TIME Magazine as a 'Top GreenTech Company' on both their 2025 America's and World's lists, named by Fast Company as one of the World's Most Innovative Companies of 2025, and by Forbes as one of America's Best Startup Employers two years running. About Intersect Power Intersect Power is a clean energy company bringing innovative, scalable, and American-made, low-carbon solutions to its customers in global energy markets. We develop, own, and operate some of the world's largest grid-tied clean energy resources, as well as co-located facilities for large industrial loads including data centers, e-fuels, and other energy-intensive products. Intersect is laser-focused on the largest, most transformative clean energy projects that decarbonize the existing power grid and bring new loads to clean generation without the need for new transmission. Intersect is redefining the scope of the clean energy industry by enabling new pathways between clean electricity and the broader economy. We have a base portfolio of 2.2 GW of operating solar PV and 2.4 GWh of battery storage in operation or construction, representing ~$4B in capital investments. We plan to break ground on an additional 4 GW of solar PV and 10 GWh of battery storage representing ~$9B of assets in 2025. To learn more, visit .
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mayor Lurie, Intersect Power Announce New Headquarters in Historic Downtown San Francisco Building
Continues to Cement City as Global Hub of Growing AI and Clean Energy Industries; Marks Another Key Step for Downtown Recovery Under Mayor Lurie's Leadership SAN FRANCISCO, May 14, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mayor Daniel Lurie and clean energy company Intersect Power, LLC today announced the company's new headquarters at 140 New Montgomery in downtown San Francisco, marking another step in downtown's comeback and underscoring the city's dominance as a global innovation hub and technology leader. To continue this dominance, Mayor Lurie has been working to accelerate downtown's recovery and make San Francisco the best place to do business, including in clean energy and climate innovation. In February, he established a permanent San Francisco Police Department Hospitality Zone Task Force to keep downtown neighborhoods safe 365 days a year, while proposing new state legislation to support nightlife by creating more liquor licenses to encourage the opening of new bars and restaurants. Mayor Lurie has championed entertainment zones—recently signing legislation to designate a new one in the Castro District and advancing legislation to establish five more. In April, the mayor announced three new pop-ups downtown through the expansion of Vacant to Vibrant, a critical public-private partnership bringing new businesses to formerly vacant properties. "Whether you're a housing developer, a startup founder, or a global company—if you've got a vision, we want you to build it here," said Mayor Lurie. "San Francisco is the place to be for the companies driving the future of climate innovation, and I am thrilled to welcome Intersect Power and their new headquarters to downtown San Francisco. Our administration is working every day to provide safe, clean streets downtown and create the conditions for companies big or small to thrive in our city." Intersect's new headquarters marks yet another investment in San Francisco by a clean energy company. During last month's Climate Week, which drew more than 30,000 attendees and 1,000 organizations to San Francisco, Mayor Lurie joined It's Electric in launching the city's first curbside EV charging stations. Similarly, in April, the mayor and Redwood Materials, a lithium-ion battery recycling and production company, announced the company's new research and development facility at 100 Hooper. In March, Revel opened its first West Coast charging station in San Francisco's Mission District. The new headquarters will provide purpose-built opportunities for employees to gather and collaborate. The company will occupy 12,000 square feet, covering a full floor in the historic Pembroke property at 140 New Montgomery. The building has been a symbol of technology and connection from its construction 100 years ago as the headquarters of one of the country's first telecommunications companies to its role today as a hub for innovative businesses. "As the digital landscape undergoes a profound transformation, driven by the immense potential of AI, San Francisco remains the undeniable epicenter of that progress," said Sheldon Kimber, CEO and Founder of Intersect Power. "The city continues to be a magnet for innovators and builders at the intersection of digitization, electrification and decarbonization and Intersect Power is proud to be a part of that ecosystem." With San Francisco's robust venture capital funding—the Bay Area has 57% of the U.S. total—and rapidly expanding AI sector, Intersect is well-positioned to help the city's growing AI companies meet both their climate goals and energy needs. Intersect has grown exponentially as it moves forward in building AI data centers with a "power-first" approach that co-locates data centers with power generation. With a combination of wind, solar, battery storage, and flexible gas generation, the company can provide the speed, scale, reliability, and cost that data center customers require. As approximately a quarter of Intersect employees are based in the Bay Area, San Francisco has served as a main destination and meeting point for the company's quarterly co-working team weeks, bringing together employees from across North America. Intersect was recently recognized by TIME Magazine as a "Top GreenTech Company" on both their 2025 America's and World's lists, named by Fast Company as one of the World's Most Innovative Companies of 2025, and by Forbes as one of America's Best Startup Employers two years running. About Intersect Power Intersect Power is a clean energy company bringing innovative, scalable, and American-made, low-carbon solutions to its customers in global energy markets. We develop, own, and operate some of the world's largest grid-tied clean energy resources, as well as co-located facilities for large industrial loads including data centers, e-fuels, and other energy-intensive products. Intersect is laser-focused on the largest, most transformative clean energy projects that decarbonize the existing power grid and bring new loads to clean generation without the need for new transmission. Intersect is redefining the scope of the clean energy industry by enabling new pathways between clean electricity and the broader economy. We have a base portfolio of 2.2 GW of operating solar PV and 2.4 GWh of battery storage in operation or construction, representing ~$4B in capital investments. We plan to break ground on an additional 4 GW of solar PV and 10 GWh of battery storage representing ~$9B of assets in 2025. To learn more, visit View source version on Contacts Media Contact: Carmen LoweIntersect Power510-250-2827Press@
Business Insider
05-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
For GenZers working in clean energy, DOGE's cuts mean finding creative career pivots
In just four months, Aaron Yang's young career in renewable energy had hit the highs and lows you might expect of a more seasoned worker. Yang, 22, graduated from New York University in December and landed a job at the Department of Energy in an office doling out grants to nascent clean technologies like hydrogen, advanced nuclear, and long-duration battery storage. By April, he had been fired, rehired, and accepted a voluntary buyout under President Donald Trump and Elon Musk's efforts to shrink the federal government. Renewable energy programs were a top target, with Trump on January 20 signing an executive order freezing funding authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act, President Joe Biden's signature climate law. Since then, thousands of federal employees working on clean energy, environmental justice, and climate science have been terminated. "Throughout college, I worked toward this career path," Yang told Business Insider in April at a career fair in Washington, DC. "Then I got into the DOE and felt that was a huge achievement. So to then immediately get laid off has been tough to reconcile." Yang is among many Gen Zers entering a job market defined by hiring slumps in industries like tech, finance, and consulting. The upheaval in Washington has further clouded their career paths, particularly in the renewable energy industry, as tariffs and frozen federal funding have led companies to delay new projects or scrap them altogether. White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers cited Friday's strong jobs report to say that Trump was bringing jobs back "and making America the world's manufacturing powerhouse once again." A DOE spokesperson told Business Insider that the department was still reviewing its organizational structure to align with the president's priorities. "The American people provided President Trump with a mandate to govern and to unleash affordable, abundant, and secure American energy," they said, adding, "No final decisions have been made and multiple plans are still being considered." Canceled clean energy factories At a job fair during DC's inaugural Climate Week, more than 50 companies and trade associations met some 1,200 job seekers. They lined up to chat with firms including Amazon, the solar manufacturer Qcells, and Arcadia, an AI analytics platform for energy. Zainab Mirza organized the job fair for Clean Energy for America, a trade group that lobbies Congress and the administration on issues like protecting tax credits for renewable energy. Mirza experienced similar career setbacks as Yang. She graduated from American University in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, which thwarted her plans to pursue a career in international development overseas. In February, she was laid off from the DOE's Loan Program Office, where she had just become a full-time employee after being a contractor for two years. The slashed investments go beyond the federal government. In the first three months of 2025, companies canceled, closed, or downsized projects totaling nearly $8 billion in investment. This affected 16 new factories for electric vehicles, batteries, and hydrogen — more than three times the cancellation rate over the previous 30 months, according to an analysis by E2, a business group that advocates for clean energy, and the think tank Atlas Public Policy. "If this self-inflicted and unnecessary market uncertainty continues, we'll almost certainly see more projects paused, more construction halted, and more job opportunities disappear," Michael Timberlake, spokesperson for E2, said in a statement. Between January 2024 and March 2025, the number of new job postings across renewable power — including solar, wind, nuclear, hydropower, and geothermal — dropped by more than 20%, indicating a slowdown in labor demand, an analysis Revelio Labs conducted for BI showed. Some companies continue to invest in the energy transition. In March, 10 solar, EV, and transmission manufacturing plants were announced, which, if built, could create 5,000 permanent jobs. That includes Tesla's plans to build a battery factory near Houston. Billions of dollars deployed Despite the hurdles, Mirza was optimistic about the future. While the DOE is expected to be less active and shift away from wind and solar projects, it may help finance nuclear, geothermal, and power grid resilience. Katie Mehnert, CEO of ALLY Energy, an online career and networking platform, said the energy industry is always changing. Mehnert lives in Texas, where layoffs are also hitting the oil and gas sector. The rise of artificial intelligence is ushering in another transformation of how businesses operate. But there will be jobs, Mehnert said. ALLY recently partnered with Parallell, an AI-driven jobs platform that aims to make job hunting more efficient and better match people's expertise to openings. "We need more energy, we need sustainable energy, we need affordable energy," Mehnert said. "And there's plenty of money that's been deployed. Now we need to find the best talent and match them with opportunities quicker. That way, we can minimize the disruption in job marketing and people's personal lives." Mirza, for her part, encouraged young people to be open-minded to positions they may not have considered. "I'm not sure where I want to go next," Mirza said. "I've had a blast putting this event together. I think that people here can meet with employers they might not have heard of or thought about, or a skill that they haven't developed. There are upskilling opportunities. There are incubators. Maybe you've had an idea for so long, and now you can test it out." Yang said he's open-minded, too. Although his time at DOE was focused on long-duration energy storage like batteries, he is open to other technologies. During his undergrad internships, Yang worked on transmission infrastructure, sales teams, and policy development. For now, Yang decided to accelerate his pursuit of a master's in energy, policy, and climate at Johns Hopkins University while looking for a full time job. He's come close several times, but ultimately, someone with more experience was hired. "That's no fault of my own," Yang said. "There are a ton of talented people out there right now, and I haven't worked full-time yet. So I'm cautiously optimistic. I don't know what my future holds."
