Climate Week Highlights Energy Priorities Ahead of Election

At this year’s Climate Week in New York City, industry leaders, corporate executives, government officials, and activists gathered to discuss the energy transition, leadership and green growth, the new industrial revolution, and what comes next.  

With the presidential election just over a month away and COP29 a few days after that in Azerbaijan, this year’s Climate Week conversations were particularly timely, and the to-be-determined outcome of the election no doubt loomed, even in conversations where it was not explicitly addressed.

The tone in New York ranged from optimism to urgency as speakers highlighted the progress so far and the challenges that still lie ahead. And conversations were not limited to these in-person events – they expanded to news coverage, corporate statements, and social media, where the hashtags “#ClimateWeekNYC” and “#climateweek” were collectively mentioned over 25,000 times on X over the course of the week. 

With all this in mind, there are a few key trends coming out of Climate Week that we think are worth keeping an eye on in the coming months:

1. The Time is Now 

Conversations throughout the week’s events strikingly reflected the overarching “It’s Time” theme. Whether it’s securing funding, meeting rising demand, or generating large amounts of clean power, it’s clear that time is of the essence to meet the country and the world’s energy challenges, and we’ll continue to see this reflected in industry announcements and initiatives through the rest of the year. 

2. Demand is Increasing 

From the increasing need to be “plugged in” to the demand created by AI data centers, the challenge to meet this demand rang through several conversations in New York. We expect this indisputable demand to be a key driver in conversations across industries as leaders identify collaborative solutions to ensure our energy systems can keep up with promising technologies. 

3. Progress Hinges on Investment 

Progress in the energy industry will require significant investment. Because of this, we see investors playing an increasingly critical and visible role in the months and years to come as business and sustainability goals converge. 

4. Collaboration is Key

Decarbonization and the clean energy transition will not happen in a silo. As energy demand and climate change become more dire, we anticipate seeing increased intersection between industries ranging from tech to business to environmental organizations, both publicly and behind closed doors. 

5. Leadership Matters 

With President Biden appearing at Climate Week and acknowledging his climate legacy, and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm urging Congress to expand on the Biden Administration’s clean energy grants, it’s clear that the next administration and Congress have the potential to set the tone for energy and climate conversations and commitments going forward. With top social posts surrounding Climate Week events consistently referring to a “sustainable future,” there’s surely a collective focus on what lies ahead.

So what does this mean for the upcoming election and the lame duck period that follows? 

Energy policy – especially as it relates to the two presidential outcomes – will continue to be a hot topic. With a Harris-Walz Administration, we anticipate a continued focus on clean energy technologies, and many will be watching for increased federal funding for infrastructure projects. On the other hand, Trump has already pledged to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate treaty again if elected. With a Trump-Vance Administration, we’ll expect an increased focus on energy independence as well as support for fossil fuels. Regardless of the administration, the climate crisis is here to stay and will play a role in policy priorities.

But the looming uncertainty ahead of the election and mandates that flip every few years based on Congressional leadership changes hinders organizations’ ability to build long-term, sustainable plans. In order to ensure longevity and lasting impact, bipartisan collaboration on key policies that will help us reach our shared energy goals will be crucial. We heard this theme throughout the conversations at POLITICO’s Energy Summit back in June in D.C., and it is one that we’ll likely continue to see in the months ahead.

The Adfero POV

The energy transition is not happening in a vacuum and it will continue to affect corporations, nonprofits, policy and individuals in the lead up to – and the aftermath of – the election in November. As communicators and professionals, it’s important to consider these energy conversations as we think about the right topics and timely opportunities for leadership to engage and to highlight a company’s perspective or initiatives.