The New York Times today announced the first speaker line-up for the New York and Sharm el Sheikh editions of global event series The New York Times Climate Conversations, which will be broadcast online alongside in-person events.
Following the inaugural three-day program in London earlier this year, the second event in the series will take place at the Times Center in New York on Tuesday, Sept. 20.
With the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly opening in New York in September, audiences are invited to join this deep investigation into the nexus between climate change and critical international issues.
Confirmed speakers for the New York event include Al Gore, Former Vice President of the United States; John Kerry, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, United States; Esther Duflo, Co-Director, Abdul Latif, Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) and more.
Panelists will explore urban inequality and climate action, the global food crisis, the climate finance gap and the state of U.S. climate ambitions. A conversation between artists and activists will close the program.
The Climate Forward Conversations series will culminate in a three-day event to be held from Tuesday, Nov. 8 to Thursday, Nov. 10 at the Park Regency Sharm el Sheikh Resort, taking place alongside COP27, with panelists responding to real-time negotiations and debate taking place at the summit.
Journalists from The New York Times including Somini Sengupta, Lisa Friedman, and David Gelles will be joined by climate activists and leading environmental experts for timely, hard-hitting debates which analyze global policy and decode the critical conversations taking place at COP27 to help audiences understand the current outlook for our planet. Audiences will hear from inspiring environmental leaders and affected communities, with a special focus on the Global South.
Confirmed speakers for Sharm el Sheikh include Nigel Topping, U.K. High-Level champion for climate action COP26; Wanjira Mathai, Vice President and Regional Director for the World Resources Institute Africa; Todd Stern, former White House staff secretary; Vanessa Nakate, climate justice activist; Bogolo Kenewendo, director for Climate Champions Africa and special adviser to the U.N.F.C.C.C.; Ellyanne Chlystun-Githae Wanjiku, East Africa’s youngest climate change ambassador; Omnia El Omrani, COP27 Youth Envoy; Dr. Eleni Myrivili, chief heat officer, City of Athens; Sunita Narain, director general of the Center for Science and Environment, New Delhi; and Elizabeth Wathuti, U.N. Young Champion of the Earth and founder of the Green Generation Initiative.
“Our climate coverage seeks to help readers understand the devastating realities of climate change as it impacts communities around the world today,” said Hannah Fairfield, climate editor for The New York Times.
“By bringing together climate experts with journalists from The New York Times, the Climate Forward Conversations events invite audiences to engage with perspectives and solutions that are essential to exposing tensions and understanding climate-focused developments in public policy, technology, innovation and politics.”
Join the conversations live in New York on Tuesday, Sept. 20, or live in Sharm el Sheikh from Tuesday, Nov. 8 to Thursday, Nov. 10. Delegate tickets start from $100, or register in advance for free online access. Find the full speaker program and ticket information on the Climate Forward Conversations website. The Climate Forward Conversations event series is presented by Morgan Stanley.
Active members of the media can apply for a press pass and media updates.