A Birds-Eye View of New York Climate Week

In recent years, New York Climate Week (NYCW) has become an important gathering point for both the U.S. and global climate community. The 2025 Climate Week, scheduled from September 21-28 in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly, will be no exception. Government leaders, philanthropists, private sector representatives, indigenous peoples, and civil society experts of all stripes will descend on New York from around the world to discuss climate policy, programming, and investment in dozens of events scheduled across Manhattan. These experts will work to advance a range of policy, programming, and financing approaches that will be key to ensuring our shared planet remains a safe home for birds, and people.

With so many exciting events and meetings taking place during NYCW, it is helpful to stay focused on key themes and outcomes. Here are three priority issues to watch during NYCW 2025.

1. Nationally Determined Contributions and Secretary General’s Climate Summit 2025: As discussed in a recent Audubon blog, all Parties to the Paris Agreement are expected to submit a 2035 climate target, known as nationally determined contributions or “NDCs.” The ambition of these 2035 goals will largely determine the path of global temperatures over the next decade, and are critical to averting the worst impacts of climate change. Strong targets will help ensure that the ecosystems remain healthy habitats for birds and people. Many of the largest-emitting countries have not yet submitted their 2035 NDCs. To encourage the greatest possible NDC ambition, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has convened the Climate Summit 2025, calling together dozens of heads of state to present their 2035 NDCs, and gathering other world leaders to discuss thematic climate solutions. 
   
   Perhaps the most important signal for global ambition will be the ambition China’s NDC, which it is expected to announce during NYCW. China currently represents around 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions; the rate at which it cuts these emissions will determine whether the world can stay on a path to a safer climate future. A 2035 target on a straight line trajectory from China current emissions to its 2060 net zero goal would give the world hope; most climate watchers expect the target to fall well short of this benchmark. Also worth watching is whether, and how, the European Union announces its 2035 NDC.  Key E.U. member countries recently postponed a vote on the Union’s internal 2040 climate target; the 2035 NDC target was expected to derive from this number. Australia this week announced a 2035 NDC target that is clearly aligned with achieving net zero emissions by 2050. Colombia, Mexico, and many other countries are expected to announce NDCs next week, with several suggesting that their targets will be on a trajectory to their own net zero goals. Other major emitting countries such as India are expected to watch the September 2035 NDC announcements closely, and calibrate their own announcements on the ambition of their peers.
    
2. Tropical Forests Forever Facility and Fund: Heads of State and other global leaders will gather in New York on September 23 to advance development of the Tropical Forests Forever Facility and Fund (TFFF). Though not a climate initiative, the TFFF presents perhaps the greatest opportunity in a decade to secure long-term financing for tropical and subtropical forests. Audubon’s science shows the critical role these forests play as climate strongholds for birds; continued forest health is also critical for the well-being of more than a billion people globally. TFFF, which is expected to be launched at COP30 in Belem, Brazil in November, is an innovative blended financing approach combining 1) senior debt (fixed-income bonds) issued on the international capital markets, and 2) junior capital in the form of long-term loans, credit guarantees, and grants. The fund’s income (the spread between interest payments it earns from its investments and that paid to investors and bond holders) will be distributed to tropical and subtropical forest countries that succeed in maintaining their forests standing. At least 20% of this revenue will be directed to payments to indigenous peoples. TFFF design has been led by a Steering Committee of governments, with significant engagement by the financial sector, indigenous peoples associations, and civil society groups. Consultations have been held over the past year around the world to inform TFFF’s structure, financing model, and technical methodologies.
   
   The ambition of the TFFF is commensurate with the scale of the deforestation challenge: supporters hope to raise $125 billion through bond issuances, guarantees and long-term loans. The NYCW event, led by Brazilian President (and COP30 host) Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva and Secretary General Guterres, is expected to include a major announcement by Brazil. This event will kick off an intensive period of fundraising amongst institutional investors, governments, and philanthropies, with the aim of securing credible pledges and additional political support before COP30. This Head of State event will provide an early signal on the road TFFF promoters still must travel before a successful launch in Belem in six weeks.
    
3. Participation by U.S. Leaders: While NYCW has always had a global flavor, a significant focus each year is on climate action in the United States. This year will be no different, in some sense. U.S.-based philanthropists are preparing to travel to New York, joining representatives from investment funds and green banks. A delegation from Congress will travel north, adding their voices to U.S. state and local government leaders. Private sector representatives are expected to speak at events throughout the city, complemented by civil society representatives from a broad range of organizations. Youth leaders will bring a fresh perspective, and urgency, to discussions. Many of these efforts to promote conservation, deploy energy solutions, and bolster resilience overlap with Audubon’s work with communities across the U.S.—from grasslands to coastlines, cities to farms.
   
   The participation by a diverse set of U.S.-based stakeholders is perhaps not surprising. Efforts to build out the infrastructure and generation capacity needed for a clean energy future continue, as do programs intended to bolster the health and resilience of agricultural lands and forests. Communities are striving to ensure infrastructure is resilient to extreme weather, protecting lives and livelihoods. Organizations still seek to conserve and restore the ecosystems that Americans – and birds – depend on. The tone and tenor of the discussion may be different this year, reflecting the current tenor of policy discourse in the country. But the number and diversity of U.S. stakeholders at NYCW this year will provide an important signal on the current status of climate action throughout the United States.

Audubon at NYCW

The National Audubon Society will have a strong presence at New York Climate week, as in years past. Audubon is a compelling voice in the climate space. Birds are frontline indicators of climate change, with more than two-thirds of North American bird species at risk from continued warming and changing climatic conditions. Our science shows how climate change impacts the habitats—forests, wetlands, grasslands—that people and birds rely on alike. For this reason, Audubon works directly with communities on natural climate solutions such as habitat conservation and restoration that store carbon, reduce flooding, and protect biodiversity. Audubon also works with communities, companies, and governments to promote low-cost clean energy deployment that is safer for birds and people. This work, grounded in diverse communities throughout the hemisphere, uniquely connects global climate policy to local conservation and community benefits.

On Tuesday September 23^rd at 2pm ET, Meghan Ryan, Director for Natural Climate Solutions, will speak with an Audubon partner about nature-based regeneration at The Hub Live, showcasing the innovative role Audubon is playing in advancing natural climate solutions on working lands. On Wednesday September 24^th at 4:30pm ET Audubon’s Chief Scientist Chad Wilsey; Brooke Bateman, Senior Director, for Climate & Community Science; Daniel Suarez, Conservation Director for Audubon Great Lakes, and an Audubon partner will present a new paper on how conservation can provide overlapping benefits for people, climate and biodiversity at The Nest Climate Campus. Audubon’s Chief Scientist and Climate Science leaders like Brooke Bateman bring credibility grounded in peer-reviewed research to global dialogues, while regional directors like Daniel Suarez showcase how global policy translates into local action. Audubon teams will also participate in a range of public and closed-door sessions throughout the week, ensuring that Audubon’s deep expertise and practical experience informs thinking across a range of issue areas.