Duke Talks Financing Energy Transitions, Debt, Risk Science, and More at Climate Week New York

Climate Week NYC 2024, held Sept. 22-29, gathered hundreds of business and political leaders across the globe to address the need for climate action. Named the “largest annual climate event of its kind,” Climate Week holds more than 600 climate-related events across New York City and online. Among the distinguished voices included Duke University, whose lineup of climate experts shared their insights and research at several key events as part of Duke's Climate Commitment. Their contributions underscored the critical role of academic institutions in driving forward-thinking solutions and fostering global collaboration in managing climate change. Climate Week is held in partnership with the United Nations General Assembly, which also met earlier in the week.

Toddi Steelman, Adam Silver, Eddie Glaude, Alysia Steinmann at a restaurant dinner table at a SALA event in New York for Climate Week
Vice President and Vice Provost for Climate and Sustainability Toddi Steelman (right) with Duke Board of Trustees Chair Adam Silver talk with Eddie Glaude, professor of African American studies at Princeton University, and Alysia Steinmann, office managing partner at Ernst & Young, at the SALA Series’ New York event.
Toddi Steelman, Adam Silver and Morgan Harper sitting on stools in front of room for a panel discussion on climate change at a SALA series event in New York
During a panel discussion, Toddi Steelman and Adam Silver talked about corporate involvement in climate change, including in the world of professional sports. The discussion was moderated by Morgan Harper, director of Policy & Advocacy for the American Economic Liberties Project.
Duke students look at the United Nations from across the street
Duke undergraduate Vanessa Santini Gomes (2026) and Duke master’s candidate Brook Hemphill (2025) look over at the United Nations and First Avenue, which was closed off to traffic due to the UN General Assembly taking place concurrently as Climate Week. Santini Gomes, who is studying political economy and environmental sciences and policy, was invited to address the general assembly as a member of the Youth Constituency of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Hemphill, a master’s student in forestry at the Nicholas School, served as an intern at COP28 of the UNFCCC last year.

“I’m just exploring this space and trying to understand how I can interact with people and how I can help in this really huge task of trying to make the world a little better.”

Vanessa Santini Gomes, Class of 2026, On participating in the UN Summit of the Future
Lydia Olander and Peter Howell sit at a table discussing financing for nature-based solutions.
Lydia Olander, program director at the Nicholas Institute for Energy Environment and Sustainability, addresses a packed roundtable on “Financing for Nature-Based Solutions” as part of Climate Week NYC’s lineup of events. To her right is Peter Howell, executive vice president of conservation capital at the Open Space Institute.
Nest Climate Campus evening reception on roof deck of Javits Center for Climate Week
The Javits Center was transformed into the Nest Climate Campus for Climate Week, where climate leaders gathered at a rooftop reception to meet and trade ideas.
Photo by David Degner
Tim Profeta, senior fellow at Duke University's Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability, at the reception at the Nest Climate Campus. Photo by David Degner
Tim Profeta, senior fellow at Duke University's Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability, at the reception at the Nest Climate Campus.
Photo by David Degner

“The history of our energy sector is primarily one of addition, not of transition, when we think of different fuel sources. And combined with that, there’s very little precedent for major industrialization without high emissions accompanying it, and we are challenged to do both of those things.” 

Jackson Ewing, moderator, How Can Energy Transitions Balance Growth, Decarbonization, and Human Development?

Jackson Ewing (right), director of Energy and Climate Policy at the Nicholas Institute at Duke, moderated a panel entitled “How Can Energy Transitions Balance Growth, Decarbonization, and Human Development?” on the main Nest Climate Campus stage during Climate Week. Joining him on the panel was Stephanie von Friedeburg (Banking and Capital Markets Advisory), Stefano Marguccio (SEforALL), and Alix Peterson Zwane (James E. Rogers Energy Access Project, Duke University, second from left). Photo by David Degner
Jackson Ewing (right), director of Energy and Climate Policy at the Nicholas Institute at Duke, moderated a panel entitled “How Can Energy Transitions Balance Growth, Decarbonization, and Human Development?” on the main Nest Climate Campus stage during Climate Week. Joining him on the panel was Stephanie von Friedeburg (Banking and Capital Markets Advisory), Stefano Marguccio (SEforALL), and Alix Peterson Zwane (James E. Rogers Energy Access Project, Duke University, second from left). Ewing and Duke’s Eilish Zembilci published a commentary reflecting on the discussion’s key themes, and a recording is now available; view both here. Photo by David Degner
Over at NYU, Duke’s Nicholas Professor of Earth Sciences Drew Shindell spoke about the dangers of nitrous oxide on a panel entitled “Nitrous Oxide: Science and the governance of a forgotten super pollutant” as part of Climate Week.
Over at NYU, Duke’s Nicholas Professor of Earth Sciences Drew Shindell spoke about the dangers of nitrous oxide on a panel entitled “Nitrous Oxide: Science and the governance of a forgotten super pollutant” as part of Climate Week.
Duke climate experts presented a panel on the “Science of Risk” at St. John’s University as part of Climate Week’s Breakfast Briefings. The panel consisted of Lydia Olander, program director at the Nicholas Institute for Energy Environment & Sustainability; Mercy Berman DeMenno, Executive in Residence with the Risk Science for Climate Resilience Initiative; Francis Bouchard, inaugural resident in Duke University's Climate Leaders in Residence program; and Mark Edward Borsuk, the James L. and Elizabeth M. Vincent Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Photo by David Degner
Duke climate experts presented a panel on the “Science of Risk” at St. John’s University as part of Climate Week’s Breakfast Briefings. The panel consisted of Lydia Olander, program director at the Nicholas Institute for Energy Environment & Sustainability; Mercy Berman DeMenno, Executive in Residence with the Risk Science for Climate Resilience Initiative; Francis Bouchard, inaugural resident in Duke University's Climate Leaders in Residence program; and Mark Edward Borsuk, the James L. and Elizabeth M. Vincent Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Photo by David Degner
Brian Murray, Director of the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability, converses with Toddi Steelman, Duke’s Vice President and Vice Provost for Climate and Sustainability at the Nest Climate Campus. Photo by David Degner.
Brian Murray, Director of the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability, converses with Toddi Steelman, Duke’s Vice President and Vice Provost for Climate and Sustainability at the Nest Climate Campus. Photo by David Degner.

“From the beginning [there] was a question of sovereignty. A lot of the countries said, why should a conservation organization or some creditor tell us what to do - come into our country and dictate the terms?”

Liz Losos on debt-for-nature swaps
Liz Losos, executive in residence at the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability at Duke University, led a panel on scaling debt-for-nature swaps, hosted by Bloomberg. Joining her on the panel was Dana Barsky, global head of sustainability strategy and net zero, Standard Chartered Bank; Kevin Bender, director, Greening Sovereign Debt, The Nature Conservancy; Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, CEO and chairperson, Global Environment Facility; and Anmol Vanamali, director, Innovative Finance, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation. Photo by David Degner
Liz Losos, executive in residence at the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability at Duke University, led a panel on scaling debt-for-nature swaps, hosted by Bloomberg. Joining her on the panel was Dana Barsky, global head of sustainability strategy and net zero, Standard Chartered Bank; Kevin Bender, director, Greening Sovereign Debt, The Nature Conservancy; Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, CEO and chairperson, Global Environment Facility; and Anmol Vanamali, director, Innovative Finance, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation. View a recording of the discussion. Photo by David Degner
Liz Losos talks with a participant following her panel on scaling debt-for-nature swaps. Photo by David Degner.
Liz Losos talks with a participant following her panel on scaling debt-for-nature swaps. Photo by David Degner.

“This is the biggest challenge facing the planet, and we will be judged by future generations about the action we take in this time period. So it is incumbent upon us to be doing everything that we can, and Duke University wants to lean into that.“

Toddi Steelman on how Duke can use events like Climate Week to enhance the university’s impact
At “Checking the Climate Policy Pulse,” a post-Climate Week event back on campus, panelists shared what they learned at Climate Week, and how climate policy will be shaped after the outcome of the U.S. presidential election and the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29), to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan in mid-November. Panelists included Toddi Steelman, Vice President and Vice Provost for Climate and Sustainability; Tim Profeta, senior fellow at the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability at Duke University and associate professor of the practice at Duke’s Sanford School of Public Policy; Vanessa Santini Gomes, a sophomore studying international relations and economics; and Sadie Tetreault, a second-year master of environmental management and master of business administration candidate concentrating in energy and environment and environmental economics and policy. Jackson Ewing moderated the discussion. Photo by Melissa Fernandez

At “Checking the Climate Policy Pulse,” a post-Climate Week event back on campus, panelists shared what they learned at Climate Week, and how climate policy will be shaped after the outcome of the U.S. presidential election and the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29), to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan in mid-November. Panelists included Toddi Steelman, Vice President and Vice Provost for Climate and Sustainability; Tim Profeta, senior fellow at the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability at Duke University and associate professor of the practice at Duke’s Sanford School of Public Policy; Vanessa Santini Gomes, a sophomore studying international relations and economics; and Sadie Tetreault, a second-year master of environmental management and master of business administration candidate concentrating in energy and environment and environmental economics and policy. Jackson Ewing moderated the discussion. Photo by Melissa Fernandez