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Join for The Independentthe first Climate 100 event, a landmark celebration to recognize those tackling the climate crisis.
The event will take place in the heart of New York City on Wednesday 25 September to mark the publication of the Climate100 List, a roll call of climate activists, innovators, scientists, business leaders, creators, policy makers and entrepreneurs from around the world – chosen by The Independent.
Taking place during Climate Week NYC, the event will be broadcast via Zoom, and you can attend online for free. Simply register here to reserve your spot.
Our inspirational speakers include former UK prime minister Theresa May; best-selling author John Vaillant; The Independentaward-winning international chief correspondent Bel Trew; and Wawa Gatheru, Kenyan-American climate activist and founder of the organization, Black Girl Environmentalist.
You can attend as many or as few events as you want, and you are free to join or leave the stream at any time. However, don’t miss out – the lectures are only available to watch in full during the live event.
Below you will find more information about the speakers and the event schedule:
Speaker and approximate time
Geordie Greig
The show will be introduced by Geordie Greig, Editor-in-Chief of The Independent. Geordie is chairman of The Friends of the National Libraries, a charity that preserves Britain’s literary heritage. He is a writer The Kingmakerthe story of the friendship between George VI and his grandfather and Breakfast with Lucian a biography about the artist Lucian Freud.
“For nearly 40 years, finding the critical issue of climate change has been at the heart of it The Independentjournalism,” he said.
“With Climate 100, we celebrate the extraordinary achievements of individuals and organizations leading the way in tackling one of the most important challenges of our time. This initiative reaffirms our commitment to inform and inspire action through stories that bring about real change for this planet.
Estimated time: 2:00 pm EST / 7:00 pm BST
Hello Gatheru
Wawa Gatheru is a Kenyan-American environmental activist and strong advocate for inclusive climate action. Their work challenges traditional narratives that often portray marginalized communities as victims, rather than leaders and problem-solvers in the climate crisis.
She founded Black Girl Environmentalist, a US organization that supports black girls, women, and non-binary people interested in learning more about joining the climate movement and green careers.
Estimated time: 2:30 pm EST / 7:30 pm BST
John Moon
John Vaillant is an award-winning author and journalist whose stories are a powerful voice in the fight against environmental destruction. Vaillant’s latest work, Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World is a Finalist for the 2024 Pulitzer Prize in General Nonfiction.
This powerful book chronicles the devastating 2016 wildfires in Fort McMurray, Alberta – an event that destroyed vehicles, burned neighborhoods, and displaced 88,000 people in one day.
Estimated time: 3:00 pm EST / 8:00 pm BST
Bell Trew
Bel Trew is The Independent’s Chief International Correspondent, award-winning photographer and filmmaker.
At the Climate 100 event, he will speak with a report on the climate crisis and overlapping conflicts. For centuries, people have been fighting for their lucrative resources: bloody wars have erupted over oil, land and goods. But as the effects of global warming have worsened, we have seen a conflict over a more basic need – water. The impact of a warming and drying planet is fueling conflict in ways we can’t imagine – from recruitment for jihadist groups to gender-based violence.
Estimated time: 3:55 pm EST / 8:55 pm BST
Theresa May
For the inaugural Climate 100 List, our keynote speaker is Theresa May, the 76th Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the second woman ever to hold the position.
During her time in Downing Street, Ms May introduced legislation to end the UK’s contribution to global warming – making the UK the first G7 country to legislate for net zero emissions. He also oversaw the publication of the Clean Growth Strategy and the decision to end coal-fired power generation in the UK.
Estimated time: 4:40 pm EST / 9:40 pm BST
How do I access the event?
The event will be held on Zoom and will begin at 2pm EST (11am PST / 7pm BST) on Wednesday, September 25.
You must redeem your ticket to access the stream. To redeem your ticket, visit this link and enter your seat reservation details. After signing up, you will be sent an email that includes instructions for accessing the stream.
After registering, you can participate in the event you want. It is set to run until 5.40pm EST (2.40pm PST / 10.40pm BST).
