ChangeNOW in Paris - Our Key Moments, Contributions, and Learnings
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
At the end of March, Climate Reality Europe joined ChangeNOW 2026 in Paris, the largest social impact conference in the world, bringing together leaders from across climate, finance, policy, and civil society.
This year’s conference featured voices such as Kate Raworth, Christiana Figueres, and Johan Rockström, alongside innovators, investors, and local leaders working on practical solutions. Across sessions, the focus was clear: how to move from commitments to implementation, and how to make (climate) solutions work in real-world conditions.
Renewable energy: ready, but not fully integrated
In the session “Renewable energy, renewed purpose: serving people and the planet” which we hosted, speakers representing the world of tech (Perine Fleury, Biosphere Solar), finance (Sonja de Ruiter, Triodos Investment Management) and innovation (Craig Douglas, World Fund VC) highlighted full confidence in renewable energy and its deployment.
The transition makes sense not only from a climate perspective, but also economically - even without climate targets driving it.
At the same time, the shift to renewables is not only a technical change, but a structural one. Renewable energy systems are naturally more decentralised, opening up possibilities for a different model of energy - one that is more distributed, closer to communities, and potentially more participatory.
This shift is already visible in parts of the Global South, where in some cases countries are leapfrogging directly to decentralised clean energy solutions, similar to how mobile technologies bypassed landline infrastructure. In these contexts, access to energy is expanding without relying on traditional grid systems.
In more developed economies, the challenge looks different. Existing energy systems are built around centralised production and one-way distribution, and are not yet designed to accommodate a growing number of smaller, distributed energy sources. Modernising the grid - so it can absorb renewable energy and function in a more flexible, two-way system between producers and users - is becoming a key priority.
The discussion also addressed what it means for renewable technologies to be truly sustainable. This includes not only emissions, but also how materials are sourced and used over time, with examples such as repurposed wind turbines and circular solar panels showing early progress in this space, along with the need for the need of stricter values framework for sourcing rare minerals.
Energy resilience in practice: lessons from Mykolaiv
In a fireside chat, Oleksandr Syenkevych, Mayor of Mykolaiv, shared the experience of managing a city’s energy system during wartime.
His message was direct: energy systems need to be reliable, adaptable, and balanced. Renewable energy plays a key role, but it needs to work alongside other infrastructure to ensure stability - especially in moments of crisis.
Cities in transition: from plans to implementation
On the second day, we co-hosted a Cities in Transition workshop, where participants worked on the Paris Climate Action Plan using the City Climate Action Assessment Checklist, including social justice lenses.
The outcome was a joint letter to the newly elected Mayor of Paris, highlighting both progress and areas for improvement - from clearer pathways for building renovation, to addressing environmental inequalities and improving access to clean transport and air quality across all neighbourhoods.
The exercise showed how climate plans can be strengthened when local perspectives and practical needs are part of the process.
Bringing the network together
ChangeNOW also gave us a chance to connect with Climate Reality Leaders from across Europe, alongside all Regional Organizers, in person.
With Climate Hubs represented from cities including Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris, Budapest, and Istanbul, the conversation focused on the year ahead -including the 20th anniversary of The Climate Reality Project and how to stay engaged in key moments to come.
Moving forward
Across discussions, workshops, and exchanges, one thing stood out:
the transition is already happening - but making it work for people, communities, and real conditions remains the key challenge.
Turning ambition into implementation will depend not only on technology, but on how well solutions are integrated, accessible, and grounded in everyday realities.
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