Cornell Mui Ho Center for Cities Symposium:
Climate Resilience in New York City

of a train bridge over a river. Clouds are reflected in the water. In the upper right corner is the edge of land with green grass and trees. In the bottom left corner is land with some trees and about twenty cars and an industrial building.

Aerial view of New York City. image / Johnny Miller

Overview

On April 24, 2025, the Cornell Mui Ho Center for Cities will host an in-person symposium on Climate Resilience in New York City. The one-day event will focus on what actions can be taken to mitigate risk to people, the built environment, and infrastructure systems from extreme weather events.

The urban built environment is typically designed to last 100+ years. What happens when the ways that people live, move, and work do not match new climate realities? How can we adapt infrastructure systems and the urban built environment? How do we support social networks that have the potential to protect New Yorkers?

The symposium will bring together scientists, public officials, civil society representatives, industry leaders, practicing architects, planners, and urban designers to address the following questions: What are the most innovative and impactful solutions? What actions are needed in the short, medium, and long term? How do we overcome the political and economic barriers to climate adaptation? 

We hope you will join us. Let's work together to set the direction for future climate action in New York City. Space is limited — please register for the symposium to ensure your spot.

Schedule

Additional schedule details are forthcoming.

8–9 a.m. | Check-in and Breakfast

9–9:30 a.m. | Opening

  • J. Meejin Yoon, Gale and Ira Drukier Dean, College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, Cornell University
  • Victoria A. Beard, Director, Cornell Mui Ho Center for Cities; Professor, City and Regional Planning, Cornell University 

9:30–10:30 a.m. | The Science of Urban Climate Change in New York City 

Speaker: Radley M. Horton, Professor of Climate, Columbia Climate School, Columbia University 

10:30–11:30 a.m. | Panel 1: Flooding

Moderator: Timon McPhearson, Professor of Urban Ecology; Director of the Urban Systems Lab, The New School

  • Alan Cohn, Senior Policy & Science Advisor, NYC DEP; Staff Chair, Water Utility Climate Alliance
  • Jeanne DuPont, Founder and Executive Director, RISE
  • Andrea Silverman, Professor of Civil and Urban Engineering New York University, FloodNet

11:30 a.m. –12:30 p.m. | Panel 2: Extreme Heat

Moderator: Somini Sengupta, International Climate Reporter, New York Times

  • Rick Cook, Founding Partner of COOKFOX Architects
  • Christopher Jones, Chief Engineer in Electric Operations
  • Peggy M. Shepard, Executive Director, WE ACT for Environmental Justice
  • Melissa Umberger, Acting Assistant Commissioner of Resiliency and Recovery, NYC Emergency Management 

12:30–1:30 p.m. | Lunch

1:30–2:30 p.m. | Panel 3: Drought

  • Novem Auyeung, Director of Research and Monitoring, Environment & Planning, NYC Parks, NYC Urban Field Station

2:30–3:30 p.m. | Interactive Sessions

  • Mayor's Office of Climate and Environmental Justice
  • U.S. Forest Service

3:45–4:45 p.m. | Panel 4: From Action to Solutions to Climate Resilience 

4:45–5 p.m. | Closing 

5–6 p.m. | Reception

Speakers

Additional schedule details are forthcoming.

Materials

Background Reading

Mapping Tools

Featured Civil Society Organizations

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