NYC Frontline Climate Week - Climate Justice Alliance

NYC Frontline Climate Week

There’s No Just Transition Without Us

Frontline Communities Lead the Way

Ten years ago Climate Justice Alliance, along with our members and allies, brought together over 400,000 people to march through the streets of New York City demanding bold climate action. The fact that local frontline communities and their counterparts from around the nation led that march was no coincidence – it was the recognition that those hit first and worst should be at the forefront of change. This year, we were on the ground again working to move the money towards the grassroots climate justice movement, while challenging many of the corporate-backed ideas being circulated throughout Climate Week that are harmful to people and planet.

Our communities hosted, participated in, and disrupted events throughout the week of September 23, 2024. We brought people together to make sure our voices were heard at one of the most influential climate-related events in the world. If you believe the only way to solve the climate crisis is to shift from the dominant, extractive economy to localized, regenerative economies that prioritize ecological and social well-being; you’re not alone.

We are at a critical time in history, when bold action needs to happen NOW to avert the worst case scenario of climate chaos. Nobody can be left behind or forgotten along the way to the new world we need to build. The only way to make sure everyone is included is through a Just Transition. And remember, there’s no Just Transition without us.

Truck Billboards Call Out Major Foundations During NY Climate Week Urging “Course Correction” in Investment Strategies

As foundations, policy makers, politicians and climate activists converge on New York City, Climate Justice Alliance has deployed several mobile billboards in the streets around the Climate Week event locations. The billboards play on the theme of this year’s Climate Week: “course correction” and highlight the contradictions of current investment practices, even from climate-conscious investors and philanthropic groups.

The billboards specifically mention the need for moving money out of the stock market and into direct investments to the frontline communities that are being hit hardest by the climate crisis.

The billboards come as a new report from the Just Returns Project identifies how major foundations that fund climate issues actually invest more in “Dirty Dozen” funds and fossil fuel companies. The research was supported by Climate Justice Alliance, National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy and Tishman Environment and Design Center.

Climate Justice Lives Here! Festival 🌻

UPROSE braced the rain and held the “Climate Justice Lives Here!” on Sept. 28 in Sunset Park. The festival concluded Climate Week and marked the 10th anniversary of the People’s Climate March, celebrating the pivotal role of frontline communities in advancing climate justice.

The community festival took place at the Brooklyn Army Terminal waterfront, offering a vibrant array of activities including cultural performances, poetry readings, learning circles, and art projects, all centered around raising awareness for climate justice. A multicultural food bazaar featuring local vendors provided delicious offerings, while a dynamic multi-media communications strategy amplified the often-overlooked voices and stories during Climate Week, ensuring the message—Solutions Are Local—echoed far and wide.

Grassroots Power: Perspectives on the Impact & Scale of Community-led Climate Solutions

Mateo Nube, CJA board co-chair and Movement Generation co-director moderated the Grassroots Power panel. Watch the recording of the galvanizing conversation on how grassroots-led climate solutions are not just innovative and scalable, but essential for the systemic change we need.

Indigenous Lifeways and New Mexico No False Solutions Coalition Hand-Deliver Letter to Blackstone Opposing Hydrogen Development Near Navajo Nation

Indigenous Lifeways, along with the New Mexico delegation of the No False Solutions Coalition including Pueblo Action Alliance and New Mexico Social Justice & Equity Institute, successfully hand-delivered a letter opposing the proposed hydrogen development project near the Navajo Nation. Read the media release here.

Realizing the Just Transition

Climate Justice Alliance organized a series of panels and workshops under the title Realizing the Just Transition: Weaving Public, Private and Community Capital for a Just Transition at the People’s Forum in NYC during Climate Week.

Opening Panel

Lauren Ressler, Climate Justice Alliance (moderator)
Melissa Miles, New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance
Dwaign Tyndal, Alternatives for Community and the Environment
and Elizabeth Yeampierre, UPROSE

What public monies mean for our movement

KD Chavez, Climate Justice Alliance (Moderator)
Dwaign Tyndal, Alternatives for Community and the Environment
Courtenay Barton, UNITE-EJ
Shaheen Hasan, The Solutions Project
Darryl Molina Sarmiento, Communities for a Better Environment

Put Your Money Where Your Mission Is: How to Make Your Investments Climate-Justice Aligned

Samantha Harvey (Moderator)
Luis Gonzalez, Climate Justice Alliance
Jennifer Santos Ramirez, Tishman Environment and Design Center
Spencer Ozer, National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy

Schedule of Frontline Climate Week Events

Climate Justice Alliance members were on the ground in so-called New York on Lenape land from Sept. 22-28 for Climate Week 2024. We are fighting the bad, building the new, reclaiming our breath, our lands and our future. Local NYC environmental justice and climate justice communities are leading with real climate solutions. Below is a snapshot of key events that CJA member groups were part of during Climate Week. This is just a glimpse of the powerful actions and discussions that took place.

Thursday
Sept. 19
12PM – 2PM

Build, Fight, Transform: Building a Regenerative Economy through the Practices of Solidarity, Decolonization, and Degrowth

As a prelude to Climate Week, the Tishman Environment Design Center hosted Kali Akuno. Kali expanded on the Build and Fight Formula that Cooperation Jackson utilizes in its mission to build just communities in Jackson, Mississippi.

Monday
Sept. 23
7pm – 9pm

Documentary Film Screening: Emergent City

With extraordinary access, the film explores the profound intersections of gentrification, climate crisis and real estate development, and asks how change might emerge from dialogue and collective action in a world where too many outcomes are constrained by money, politics and business as usual.

Tuesday
Sept. 24
11am – 12:30pm

The Dangers of Geoengineering

This workshop explored the extraordinary risks associated with geoengineering technologies. Panganga Pungowiyi, the Climate Geoengineering Organizer of Indigenous Environmental Network was part of the expert panel to discuss the latest science and politics behind solar and marine geoengineering and the potential dangers they pose.

Tuesday
Sept. 24
12pm – 4pm

Realizing the Just Transition

This funder luncheon featured speakers from philanthropy and movement, representing institutions such as Fondation CHANEL, Nathan Cummings Foundation, Thousand Currents, and UNITE-EJ. During these action-oriented discussions attendees and speakers dove into topics such as grantmaking for the global south, advancing Just Transition at your institution, and how federal dollars have thus far impacted our movement.

Wednesday
Sept. 25
1-1:50pm

Aligning our laws with Nature’s laws.

Expert panel with Tom Goldtooth, Executive Director of Indigenous Environmental Network, explored the roots, shoots, and flowers of the growing field of Earth law (also known as ecocentric law).

Wednesday
Sept. 25
4:45 – 8PM

Women on the Frontlines of the Climate Crisis

WECAN held an inspiring and strategic forum, “Women on the Frontlines of the Climate Crisis: Ending the Era of Fossil Fuels and Implementing Solutions.”​

Wednesday
Sept. 25
7:30pm

Latiné Luminaries

We celebrated the vibrant culture of our Urban Latiné community leaders through music, dance, and interactive conversations. ”La Reina Del Barrio” Rhina Valentin brought together talented artists and leaders to showcase artistic expressions and cultural contributions. This year’s installment highlighted internationally recognized Puerto Rican attorney and environmental and climate justice leader Elizabeth Yeampierre.

Thursday
Sept. 26
6pm – 7:30pm

Grassroots Power: Perspectives on the Impact & Scale of Community-led Climate Solutions

A galvanizing conversation on how grassroots-led climate solutions are not just innovative and scalable, but essential for the systemic change we need. Panelists included leaders from frontline communities, who shared real-world examples of how these solutions drive change and address climate change threats.

Thursday
Sept. 26
9am – 5pm

2024 Black Climate Leadership Summit

Taproot Noire, a formation rooted in Taproot Earth, hosted its annual gathering during Climate Week together with Ubuntu Climate Initiative, CJA Black Caucus, Ashé Cultural Arts Center and The Chisholm Legacy Project. The theme of this Black-exclusive space was “Connecting Land + Black Liberation.”

Saturday
Sept. 28
2pm – 7pm

Climate Justice Lives Here!

UPROSE’s community festival at the Brooklyn Army Terminal waterfront in Sunset Park offered a vibrant array of activities including cultural performances, poetry readings, learning circles, and art projects, all centered around raising awareness for climate justice.

Beyond Greenwashing: Centering Justice and Real Climate Action

Much of mainstream Climate Week has devolved into prioritizing corporate greenwashing and flashy presentations over real action. Instead of addressing the urgency of the climate crisis, the event served again as a platform for businesses to promote new investment funds, too-good-to-be-true techno-scams, and hollow green pledges, with major sponsors tied to some of the world’s most destructive companies. This corporate-driven approach is harmful to our communities.

In contrast, Frontline Climate Week events centered frontline communities—those hit first and worst by climate impacts. We push for transformative solutions rooted in justice, equity, and community power, not in corporate profits. Real climate action is driven by grassroots movements and local victories, not just by international summits.

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