The reality of climate change hits home after a summer with record-breaking temperatures followed by a September of catastrophic storms and a doomsday mark on the calendar as Earth’s Overshoot Day fell on August 2, 2023. 

You heard that right. August 2, 2023, marks the day Global Footprint Network announced that “humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year.” Imagine you spend your entire month’s salary before the month is up. Over time, this financial behavior becomes unsustainable, leading to economic instability and potential long-term consequences. Simply, Earth’s Overshoot Day represents humanity’s collective “overspending” of Earth’s natural resources and ecological capacity. We are depleting resources and harming ecosystems faster than we can replenish them– if that’s not a wake-up call for some serious solutions, then I don’t know what is. 

Earth’s Overshoot Day serves as a stark reminder of the environmental challenges posed by overconsumption and unsustainable resource use, highlighting the need for conservation, sustainability, and efforts to reduce our ecological footprint, making Climate Week NYC a crucial platform to catalyze change.

Found on their website, Climate Week NYC is the “largest annual climate event of its kind, bringing together some 400 events and activities across the City of New York– in person, hybrid and online,” hosted by international nonprofit Climate Group. The event occurs annually in partnership with the United Nations General Assembly, connecting global policymakers, executives, financiers, and advocacy groups before the even more prominent annual COP climate summit each November.

Following closely after New York Fashion Week, where more than 30 designers showcased their latest collections on the runway, how will the fashion industry conversations around environmental and social impact continue towards the Climate Group’s ideal future of “We Can. We Will?” 

We’ve gathered the highlights and what to consider for the rest of this Climate Week NYC. 

The New York Fashion Act was supported by policymakers, influencers, and industry leaders as they gathered at New York’s Edition Hotel. The New York Fashion Act continues to call out the global greenhouse emissions emitted by the apparel and footwear industries, the continuous production of plastic-based products, and exploited forced child labor.

In response to the greenhouse gas emissions, California passed a bill backed by fashion’s most prominent American trade groups that will require companies that do business in California and have revenue of more than $1 billion to disclose their emissions across all operations. 

Additionally, more bills and regulations directly related to fashion are making headway with the EU considering 16 pieces of fashion-focused regulation with similar bills involving workplace factory protection on the table for US state and federal governments.

As discussions around under-represented communities and environmental destruction impact their communities, fashion is held accountable as an industry with most of its largest manufacturing taking place in climate-vulnerable countries. 

However, it doesn't go unnoticed that several fashion companies, like Kering and LVMH, are ramping up efforts for nature alongside the young activists who continue to inspire other generations with their unwavering commitment at Climate Week NYC and beyond. New York is leading the way by bridging fashion and sustainability with an impactful approach to two global movements. We stand with you, those in the city fighting for change, and those at home bringing the action to their communities.

-As always, elevate your wardrobe with respected fashion and embrace the shift in style.