Highlights from the 2021 Climate Week NYC and High-Level Dialogue on Energy

The Climate Week is an annual event hosted in the City of New York by Climate Group with the UN, and in partnership with UNFCCC COP 26. It provides a platform and opportunity to showcase leading climate action and assess progress ahead of COP26. Our Executive Director Meredith Adler and Senior Director of Global Partnership Helen Watts represented Student Energy in full. The event provided an opportunity for Student Energy to amplify the Solutions Movement.

In total, Student Energy held nine meetings with international organizations, industry, and government to bring new supporters into the Solutions Movement. We also successfully signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with New Energy Nexus at a significant event co-hosted with NEN and the Clean Fight NY. Two new Solutions Movements Advisory Board Members who also took part in the #ClimateWeekNYC will be joining us. Stay tuned for the reveal in an official announcement coming soon.

Student Energy Regional Coordinator for Latin America Paola Carvajal and Greenpreneurs alumni Philip Kyeswa took part and spoke at the High-Level Dialogue on Energy (HLDE) session and side events. The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres convened the Virtual event with the participation of 43 heads of state and government, and 100+ high-level leaders from governments, intergovernmental organizations, the private sector and civil society. It is the first high-level event in 40 years that aims to advance progress towards SDG 7 and the Paris Agreement. More than US$400 billion in new finance and investment commitment was announced – far more needed to address energy poverty and decarbonization of energy systems. National governments also committed to installing an additional 698 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy from solar, wind, geothermal, hydro, and renewables-based hydrogen, and businesses, notably power utilities, pledged to install an additional 823 GW, all by 2030 (HLDE Newsletter).

Last week was the first time in 18 months Student Energy gathered physically with the international community. We look forward to keeping our community in touch with various engagements and programs coming up soon.