Events Round-up: zero-emission transportation at Climate Week NYC 2024

We’re on a journey to 100% zero-emission transportation — yet it’s time to go even faster to meet our climate goals. While the global transition to clean transportation accelerates, communities worldwide increasingly face the pressing challenges of climate change. It’s time to support emerging economies in accessing and scaling clean transportation, dramatically reducing climate emissions and benefiting communities. This sense of urgency is bringing together international public and private sector leaders for Climate Week NYC 2024, hosted by Drive Electric partner The Climate Group.

Taking place from September 22-29, 2024, Climate Week NYC is the largest annual climate event of its kind and takes place every year, coinciding with the United Nations General Assembly. Drive Electric and our partners will be there to host and engage in conversations focused on accelerating the transition to clean transportation. Whether you plan to attend the conference in person or want to register to listen in virtually, these events provide an insider’s perspective on the change.

Climate Week NYC includes the Main Program organized by the Climate Group (with in-person and virtual livestream options) as well as independently hosted events throughout the city. Read on for Drive Electric partner events at Climate Week NYC.

Just bumps in the road? – how can leadership in EVs smooth the transition to clean transport

Monday, Sept 23; 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM EDT at the Hub Live

While electric vehicles are on the rise globally, the fastest growth is in places with strong and clear government policies. Communities in emerging markets across Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia are already experiencing these benefits thanks to innovative business models and ambitious government commitments to clean vehicles of all kinds. 

This event, part of Climate Week’s The Hub Live, will include Drive Electric Campaign Director Rebecca Fisher speaking to how the Leapfrogging Partnership works with regional and local leaders to enable strong government policies that can close the gap between leading and emerging markets, supercharging the shift to zero-emissions transport.

Hosted by The Climate Group, sponsored by Drive Electric.

Charging Ahead: Global Strategies for Bus Electrification

Tuesday, Sept 24; 3:00 PM – 7:30 PM EDT – Link to registration

By getting drivers out of cars and into reliable, all-electric bus systems, cities can lower housing and transport costs for residents, cut pollution, enhance livability, promote equity, and limit global heating. At this event, policymakers, sustainable transportation experts, and climate funders will share how they collaborate to overcome political, financial, and technological challenges. 

The event will include inspiring stories from Asia, Latin America, Africa, and North America, where electric bus systems are effectively cutting carbon emissions while delivering affordable, accessible, world-class transportation to rapidly growing cities, charting the path to electric transport for all.

Hosted by Crux Alliance, ICCT, ITDP, NY Climate Exchange, Aspen Global Change Institute, Regulatory Assistance Project, Drive Electric Campaign

Grid Development – The Hidden Priority for Charging Infrastructure Deployment

Tuesday, Sept 24; 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM EDT at the Hub Live

Reliable charging infrastructure networks are the lifeblood of EVs. As the global transition to clean transportation gathers pace, it’s imperative that we focus on and invest in energy grids to ensure they develop at the same rate and can power the ever-growing number of EVs on the road. 

This session will ask what coordination, planning, and investments are needed to address the challenges many regions are already experiencing as they build out charging infrastructure.

Hosted by The Climate Group.

Truck Stop Truth Sandwich: Serving Electric by 2035

Tuesday, Sept 24; 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM EDT – Link to registration

You’re invited to take a bite out of electric truck myths at Climate Week 2024 in NYC! While big trucks make up just 10% of the vehicles on the road, they account for more than 25% of climate pollution in the transportation sector. Latino/e communities and other communities of color often bear disproportionate impacts of exposure to air pollution. With the industry doing its best to push misinformation about truck electrification, GreenLatinos is using a new messaging strategy to compile an infographic report that serves up the facts – truth sandwiches! See how they address misinformation without unintentionally furthering its spread.

Hosted by GreenLatinos

Collective for Clean Transport Finance 2024 C-Level and Investor’s Roundtable

Wednesday, Sept 25;  1:00 PM – 2:30 PM EDT 

The roundtable will convene high-level public officials, corporate chief executive officers, and finance leaders who aspire to accelerate the adoption of clean transport technologies and infrastructure and familiarize themselves with investment opportunities in green road freight corridors in selected geographies. Special guests and others in the international community partaking in the conversation will help build the foundation for navigating present challenges and coming up with results-oriented and innovative solutions.

Hosted by WBCSD

Road to Action – Towards Accelerated Truck Electrification

Wednesday, Sept 25; 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM EDT – Link to registration

Truck electrification is one of the most effective strategies to decarbonize road freight. This session explores how stakeholders are joining forces in collaborative initiatives to accelerate vehicle supply, charging infrastructure, and finance, as well as explore current and upcoming opportunities for electric truck projects in various regions, including North America, Europe, China, and India. The conversation will also provide insights into the role of private sector involvement and policy leadership in advancing electric truck pilots globally.

Hosted by Smart Freight Centre

BNEF Global Energy and Industry Event

Thursday, Sept 26; 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM EDT – Link to registration

Join BloombergNEF’s event to discuss the future of US energy policy and pathways to decarbonization. You will hear from industry leaders, policymakers, financiers, and innovative thinkers as they dive into strategies to mobilize capital and accelerate the transition to net-zero emissions. This session will feature the launch of three exclusive research insights focused on scaling renewables, zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), and our US New Energy Outlook.

Hosted by Bloomberg NEF

Zero Emission Pioneers

Thursday, Sept 26; 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT – Link to registration

Join us at Climate Week NYC for an inspiring panel discussion, followed by networking, all about how cities and companies are working together to reach zero emission logistics. Transport emissions are rising in many of our cities and accelerating climate change globally. City leaders are at the forefront of introducing policies, including low- and zero-emission zones that can halt this trend. But they are often met with significant difficulties and opposition, and find it hard to act on their own. Polling in major cities shows that the public is demanding more significant change – for their health, their children and their quality of life – and many business leaders are leading the way in place of more robust regulation. This event will explore what is (and what isn’t) working to get our cities to zero emissions transport, from electrifying fleets to adopting zero emission zones and decarbonising logistics. We’ll hear from business and city pioneers, and share what still needs to happen to make zero-emission urban transport a reality.

Hosted by Clean Cities Campaign, C40 Cities, Clean Air Fund, UMI Fund and The Climate Group

Eyes on the Electric Road: Corporate EV Alliance Stakeholder Workshop

Thursday, Sept 26; 1:00 PM – 2:50 PM EDT – Link to more information

This session will discuss the status of corporate fleet electrification and charging infrastructure build-out in the United States with stakeholders in the electric vehicle (EV) industry, including members of the Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance (CEVA) and representatives from the power sector and original equipment manufacturers.

Via a panel discussion and breakout groups, participants will discuss the status of corporate fleet electrification and charging infrastructure build-out in the United States, identify and workshop solutions for existing market hurdles to an accelerated EV transition, and explore policy and regulatory wins, including taking advantage of the historic EV incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act.

Hosted by Ceres

Transparency in Motion: Holding Automakers Accountable for Responsible Policy Engagement

Thursday, Sept 26; 3:05 PM – 5:00 PM EDT – Link to more information

While most companies in the transportation sector and other high-emitting sectors have publicly committed to supporting Paris-aligned climate policies, Ceres’ research shows that they have engaged in lobbying practices and through their trade associations that have undercut supply-side regulations. The good news is some automakers are beginning to hold their trade associations accountable while more investors hold companies to their climate lobbying practices. In this session, participants will explore this growing accountability trend and examine the recent actions of companies to hold their associations accountable. 

Hosted by Ceres

Ceres Transportation Decarbonization Reception

Thursday, Sept 26; 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM EDT – Link to more information

Join leaders from around the world at a reception on transportation decarbonization.

Co-hosted by Ceres, Accelerating to Zero (A2Z), CALSTART Drive to Zero, Electrification Coalition, UC Berkeley Center for Law, Energy and the Environment (CLEE) and Smart Freight Centre.