Climate Week NYC, Part 2: Salvaging Sustainability in a Turbulent World

Part 1 of our Conference Chatter series on the Hub Live from Climate Week NYC 2025 looked at some of the candid ideas presented about sustainability vs. economic realities, equitable solutions, and the importance of bold leadership.

In Part 2, we’ll look at the vital role of local solutions, partnerships, and innovation in building a sustainable future.

Solutions to Climate Change Must Rise from the Bottom

Climate change is a global challenge, but that doesn’t mean that every solution should have a global application. Needs are local, not universal, and top-down solutions created by governments or global technology giants won’t provide what regions, cities, and communities need to address their unique requirements.

President and CEO of the European Climate Foundation Laurence Tubiana emphasized that while the Paris Agreement might give the impression that the fight against climate change is globally homogeneous, involving local communities in a dialogue while looking for solutions is critical.

“It is about strengthening civil society, but even more, asking the citizens their views, opening the discussion about the future of the kind of development they want to see,” said Tubiana. “They want healthy conditions, they want a good relationship with nature, they want clean air. We have to build the coalition from the bottom.”