Climate Weeks are events lasting one or several weeks, organized in different cities around the world. They bring together a wide range of stakeholders — governments, businesses, civil society, academia, and communities — to foster discussions and solutions to climate change through panels, workshops, exhibitions, and cultural events.
Although these initiatives are not part of the official UNFCCC process, they have gained relevance as complementary spaces that decentralize climate dialogue and connect global agendas with local realities.
Climate Group and Its Climate Weeks
Climate Week NYC
Organized since 2009 by The Climate Group, alongside the United Nations General Assembly, it is the most prominent urban climate event in the world. In 2024, it featured 212 speakers, more than 6,000 attendees (in-person and virtual), and over 900 activities across New York City, reaching 31.6 billion media impressions and 955 million social media impressions with the hashtag #ClimateWeekNYC. It is Climate Group’s flagship annual event.
Other Climate Group Initiatives
In addition to Climate Week NYC, the organization coordinates:
- US Climate Action Summit in Washington, D.C., launched in 2021 as a results-focused climate action platform with closed forums and workshops for leaders.
- Climate Group Asia Action Summit, aimed at driving policies and regional climate action.
The Climate Group also serves as the secretariat for the Under2 Coalition, one of the largest alliances of subnational governments committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
Global Overview: Regional and Local Climate Weeks
Recent Historical Overview
- 2025: Panama City hosted the first Climate Week (May 19–23), followed by Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Sept. 1–6), both organized under the UNFCCC’s new format to drive effective climate action.
Previous Years:
| Region / Event | Year | Host Cities / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Regional Climate Weeks (Africa, Middle East, etc.) | 2023 | Nairobi, Riyadh, Panama City, Johor Bahru |
| Regional Climate Weeks | 2022 | Dubai, Santo Domingo, Libreville |
| Regional Climate Weeks | 2021 | Virtual roundtables and climate weeks |
Urban Climate Weeks:
- Los Angeles Climate Week: First edition in September 2024; continued in April 2025.
- San Francisco Climate Week: Started in 2023; second edition in April 2024. In 2025, it featured over 100 events and around 7,000 participants.
- Washington D.C. Climate Week: Debuted April 28 – May 2, 2025, with over 160 activities and around 4,500 attendees.
- London Climate Action Week 2025: Held June 21–29; more than 700 events and 45,000 participants.
- Toronto Climate Week: First edition October 1–3, 2025, as a lead-up to 2026; expected to bring together technology, art, and young entrepreneurs.
- Climate Week Mexico: Scheduled for 2025 in Mexico City; over 100 events with a focus on inclusion and local knowledge.
Strengths and Challenges
- Strengths: Enable multi-stakeholder dialogues, foster local leadership, and combine innovation with climate justice.
- Criticism: Costly, centralized, with limited access and underrepresentation of vulnerable communities — as noted in NYC.
Climate Weeks have evolved from local forums to key global events, particularly with the support of the Climate Group and the UNFCCC. While Climate Week NYC stands as the urban climate epicenter, numerous regional and local initiatives expand participation and diversity in climate action, though they still face challenges in inclusivity and cost.