Climate Action
Snapshot of D.C. Climate Week
May 2, 2025
This week, Washington D.C. hosted its first-ever Climate Week. The five-day event brought together community members of all backgrounds, including scientists, policymakers, and nonprofit organizations, to engage in reflection and conversation on a wide variety of climate-related topics. The week’s events revolved around five main themes and took place at six central hub locations.
April 28 — Climate Innovation and Technology, ROSEI
Day 1 focused on emerging climate technology and innovations, and was hosted by Johns Hopkins Ralph O’Conner Sustainable Energy Institute (ROSEI), and the National Public Utility Council — DC Climate Week’s theme partner.
Following opening remarks, Sir Andrew Steer, the former President and CEO of the Bezos Earth Fund, gave a welcome keynote speech. The day’s subsequent events, including panel discussions and 30-minute “lighting rounds,” explored emerging climate technologies, from innovations in renewable energy and grid integration to decarbonization of supply chains.
April 29 — Policy and Advocacy, MLK Jr. Memorial Library
Day 2 featured a series of events on renewable energy policies, green infrastructure, the intersection of climate and national security, and environmental justice. The day’s events were hosted at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library at Metro Center and presented by Tech For Climate Action, an events services brand known for their organization of large-scale climate event series around the world.
With over 300 attendees throughout the day, the Policy & Advocacy Day served as the flagship policy convening of DC Climate Week 2025.
Speaker events included a keynote fireside chat with U.S. Representative Kathy Castor and Clarence E. Anthony, CEO and Executive Director of the National League of Cities, a conversation on national security and disaster planning with Erin Sikorsky, Director of the Center for Climate & Security, and U.S. Senator Brian Schatz, and a panel on AI and climate innovation moderated by Christabel Randolph, Associate Director of the Center for AI & Digital Policy.
The day concluded with a ten-minute “lightning talk” by EARTHDAY.ORG’s own president Kathleen Rogers. She delivered closing reflections reminding us that this movement is about people — not just policies. She encouraged everyone in the room to keep organizing, educating, and mobilizing.
April 30 — Finance and Economy, The Square
Day 3, hosted at the Square in Farragut North, included more than half a dozen speaker discussions and panels on various topics relating to the economic aspects of the climate crisis, including “Tapping the Urban Mine: Incentivizing & Scaling Critical Mineral Supply Chains,” and “The Intersection of Climate Finance and Hunger.” The day also included an interactive speaker session in which participants were able to simulate decision-making processes for seed funding allocations.
Additionally, Day 3 of D.C. Climate Week featured the National Job Fair, hosted by Clean Energy for America. The fair connected more than 30,000 climate professionals, business leaders, and advocates with participants seeking diverse opportunities, including internships and volunteer work, graduate studies programs, and full-time positions of all levels.
May 1 — Nature, USC Capital Campus
Day 4 explored how protecting biodiversity and prioritizing nature-based solutions are one of our most effective tools to combat climate change. Panel discussions addressed topics ranging from wildfire resilience in Los Angeles and maintaining healthy freshwater and ocean ecosystems, to harnessing art and storytelling for more impactful climate communication.
Speakers represented a wide array of international organizations, nonprofits and universities, including the United Nations, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Jane Goodall Institute, the American Bird Conservancy, and the University of Maryland.
As the events were hosted on the University of Southern California Capital Campus in Dupont Circle, there were also several featured speakers and panelists from USC, including Allison Agsten, the director for the USC Center for Climate Journalism & Communications, Dr. Christopher Boone, the Dean of the USC Price School of Public Policy, and Lucy Westlake, a current USC Student and the youngest American woman to summit Everest.
May 2 — Urban Development and Mobility, Congress Heights & Navy Yard
The fifth and final day of D.C. Climate Week was split into two main sections. The first, Urban Development, was hosted at Sycamore & Oak at Congress Heights, and focused on sustainable construction, urban design and climate resilience in cities and other urban areas.
Panel topics included mass timber as an alternative building material, how we can decarbonize construction materials and advance circular economies, how to better plan cities that are sustainable, resilient and healthy, and a spotlight of three local DMV startup companies – Haddy, Bicycle Transit Systems, and Stepwise Electric.
The second part, Mobility and Water, took place at HQO Events in Navy Yard and featured panel discussions on water reuse and circularity, advancements in electric and autonomous vehicles, and ensuring inclusivity and public support for sustainable solutions.
D.C. Climate Week 2025 came to a close with the Regenerative Roadshow. Described as a “living keynote,” this interactive, multi-sensory experience travels across the country, sharing diverse perspectives on environmental activism and systems change through spoken word, music, and Indigenous wisdom. The performance invited participants to reflect on what a more sustainable and just future could look like.
Also as part of Climate Week, there were dozens of independent climate events hosted throughout the city each day, in addition to those listed on the official Climate Week agendas. These included symposiums, climate mapping hackathons, extreme heat simulations, start-up bazaars, and happy hour networking events.
Beyond Climate Week
The week’s many roundtable discussions, workshops, panels, and networking opportunities provided unique spaces for participants to learn about cutting-edge technology, emerging climate policies, and strategies for making Washington D.C. a more sustainable city. Hopefully, attendees left feeling inspired and motivated to share what they learned with friends and family, and get involved themselves in the global climate movement.
And, great news: D.C. Climate Week will be returning in 2026! But, if you’re riding a wave of climate inspiration and are seeking a way to make a difference right now, you can visit EARTHDAY.ORG and explore the many ways in which you can contribute your time, skills and passion to help secure a cleaner and safer future for all.
Additionally, consider donating to EARTHDAY.ORG’s current fundraising campaign, The Canopy Project, to help restore ecosystems and protect communities worldwide.
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