San Francisco Gears Up for Climate Week

San Francisco’s Climate Week opened Saturday, drawing tens of thousands of people as City Hall rolls out a new climate plan. (sf.gov) The event runs April 18 through April 26 and is organized as a decentralized Bay Area program rather than a single convention. Organizers say this year’s schedule includes more than 650 events and more than 1,000 speakers. (sfclimateweek.org, prnewswire.com) Mayor Daniel Lurie’s office said on April 16 that San Francisco expects more than 60,000 people for roughly 700 events, about twice last year’s attendance. Climatebase, the group behind Climate Week, separately said attendance could top 70,000 if more registrations are added during the week. (sf.gov, prnewswire.com) The city timed the gathering with the first full update in five years to San Francisco’s Climate Action Plan. Lurie signed legislation updating the city’s official climate goals alongside the plan’s release on April 16. (sf.gov) That plan is the city’s playbook for cutting the emissions that come from burning fossil fuels in buildings, cars, and the power system. The Environment Department says the 2026 version sets goals, strategies, and actions across seven sectors and was built with nearly 20 city agencies and departments. (sfenvironment.org) San Francisco is not starting from zero. City data released in 2024 showed greenhouse gas emissions were still 48% below 1990 levels, while the city kept its 2030 target of 60% below 1990 and its 2040 net-zero goal in place. (sf.gov) The new plan ties climate policy to household costs and public health, and City Hall paired it with a new Electrify Your Home Incentive Program for CleanPowerSF customers. The mayor’s office said the program will help residents replace gas appliances with electric equipment such as heat pumps and dryers. (sf.gov) The week’s speaker list shows how broad the event has become. The official program includes former Vice President Al Gore, former Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Mayor Lurie, investor John Doerr, climber Alex Honnold, and California State Senator Scott Wiener. (sfclimateweek.org, prnewswire.com) Public-facing institutions are using the week as a platform too. The Exploratorium said it would serve as a hub for climate learning and dialogue with public events, professional convenings, and international partnerships during the run of Climate Week. (exploratorium.edu) For San Francisco, the next test is not turnout but follow-through. The Environment Department says publishing the 2026 Climate Action Plan is “only the beginning,” with implementation and public tracking still ahead. (sfenvironment.org)