Reliability, affordability, and durability take center stage at Climate Week NYC

With Climate Week NYC 2025 now behind us, one theme from the proceedings has been unmistakable: reliability, affordability, and durability are front and center in the global climate conversation. 

Whether it’s meeting rapidly growing electricity demand or identifying economically workable solutions to reduce emissions from sectors like agriculture, these challenges are becoming broadly recognized as increasingly urgent and central to how we achieve lasting climate progress. 

Throughout the week, CATF experts highlighted the need for climate action that is resilient, politically durable, and grounded in today’s energy realities, from scaling clean firm power like nuclear energy and next-generation geothermal, to advancing practical methane solutions across energy and agriculture, to developing policies that keep energy affordable and reliable. CATF has always prioritized these as essential pillars of any climate strategy, because addressing them is critical to building durable community and political support for deep decarbonization. 

Scaling clean firm power to meet rising demand 

As energy systems face unprecedented load growth from AI, electrification, and industrial expansion, CATF convened and joined a series of discussions exploring the role of clean firm power in delivering reliability while driving deep decarbonization. 

At the Axios Executive Roundtable on Energy Affordability, Nicole Pavia, Director of Clean Energy Infrastructure at CATF, joined energy and economic leaders to examine how policymakers can balance ambitious climate goals with affordability and competitiveness. 

CATF’s Nuclear Energy Program Director Malwina Qvist moderated a panel on policy and regulatory innovation for nuclear energy at the Nuclear Symposium 2025, emphasizing frameworks that cut costs and risks, value zero-carbon reliability, and enable rapid, equitable deployment. 

The Nuclear Scaling Initiative, a collaboration with the EFI Foundation and the Nuclear Threat Initiative, gathered stakeholders to assess progress across the nuclear ecosystem and chart next steps for scaling safe, secure, cost-effective nuclear energy.  

CATF also hosted “Fusion Energy & Finance: A Crossroads Breakfast for Climate Capital”, convening investors and experts to explore how markets can structure risk, scale investment, and accelerate fusion’s path to commercialization.  

And in partnership with the Bezos Earth Fund, CATF led “The Testbed Imperative,” a working session advancing plans for a global superhot rock geothermal testbed, a next-generation energy source capable of providing always-available, low-carbon power almost anywhere on Earth. 

Advancing practical methane solutions 

Building on its longstanding leadership, CATF used Climate Week NYC to spotlight methane mitigation as an essential climate strategy, one that demands practical, tailored solutions to deliver near-term impact. 

At “Reducing Oil and Gas Methane Emissions in Developing Economies,” Jonathan Banks, Global Director for Methane Pollution Prevention at CATF, brought together global experts to explore country-specific strategies and the role of major importers in supporting action. Participants agreed that success requires long-term partnerships to build regulatory capacity, improve technology access, and unlock financial support.

CATF also co-hosted a screening of “Last Gasp” with the Environmental Investigation Agency. This powerful short film highlights the human cost of methane flaring and reinforcing the urgency of stronger regulations. 

Agricultural methane was another major focus. At “Smart Feed. Strong Genes. Healthy Herds,” Fernanda Ferreria, CATF’s Director for Agriculture Methane, moderated a discussion on how sustainable livestock systems can simultaneously advance food security, economic growth, land protection, and emissions reductions. Speakers underscored the importance of holistic approaches that reflect the diverse social and economic contexts farmers operate in.

Later in the week, CATF joined partners from Cornell’s Atkinson Center, EDF, and The Nature Conservancy for “Science to Policy to Practice,” which showcased how cross-sector collaboration and university research are accelerating the translation of methane reduction science into real-world solutions. 

Building credible carbon removal and innovation 

CATF’s Director for Land Systems Program, Kathy Fallon and Senior Bioenergy Manager Stephanie Herbstritt hosted a panel on biomass carbon removal and storage, where speakers agreed that strong standards are essential to build trust and credibility in carbon markets — a prerequisite for responsible scaling.  

Elsewhere, Director for Climate Policy Innovation David Yellen and Senior Technology and Infrastructure Manager Darryle Ulama joined a discussion on the next frontiers ofLater in the week, CATF joined partners from Cornell’s Atkinson Center, EDF, and The Nature Conservancy for “Science to Policy to Practice,” which showcased how cross-sector collaboration and university research are accelerating the translation of methane reduction science into real-world solutions. 

Building credible carbon removal and innovation 

CATF’s Director for Land Systems Program, Kathy Fallon and Senior Bioenergy Manager Stephanie Herbstritt hosted a panel on biomass carbon removal and storage, where speakers agreed that strong standards are essential to build trust and credibility in carbon markets — a prerequisite for responsible scaling.  

Elsewhere, Director for Climate Policy Innovation David Yellen and Senior Technology and Infrastructure Manager Darryle Ulama joined a discussion on the next frontiers of federal clean energy innovation and technology policy, exploring how emerging technologies and AI-driven insights can help meet climate and economic goals. 

Looking ahead 

Climate Week NYC 2025 underscored what CATF has long understood — that lasting climate progress requires solutions that are affordable, reliable, and politically durable. As global momentum builds, CATF will continue pushing for strategies that unite decarbonization with energy security and economic opportunity, ensuring policies and technologies deliver for people and the planet.