Bloomberg takes centre stage at London Climate Action Week
Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies played a central role at London Climate Action Week 2026, convening world leaders, city mayors, investors and business executives across a programme of high-profile events designed to accelerate the global energy transition ahead of COP31.
Now in its eighth year, London Climate Action Week is Europe's largest city-wide climate gathering, bringing together nearly 50,000 participants across more than 700 events. Delivered in partnership with the Mayor of London, the week serves as a global platform between annual UN Climate Conferences, helping sustain momentum and strengthen international collaboration on climate action.
Ahead of the event, Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies and UN Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions, described London Mayor Sadiq Khan as the "perfect host", praising the city's leadership on reducing emissions and improving air quality.
“With climate change growing more deadly and destructive, and an energy crisis underscoring the economic and security imperatives of clean power, the benefits of action have never been clearer,” Bloomberg said.
“Mayor Sadiq Khan – who has launched bold initiatives that cut emissions and air pollution while also improving people’s lives – is the perfect host. London is our company’s second home, and we’re looking forward to joining forces with him and many others to share ideas and speed up progress.”
What appeared on the agenda
The centrepiece of Bloomberg's programme took place on 23 June, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivering one of the final major climate speeches of his term.
Hosted by Mike Bloomberg in his capacity as the Secretary-General's Special Envoy, the address focused on accelerating the clean energy transition, advancing resilience and reinforcing international cooperation.
Bloomberg Philanthropies also hosted the Local Climate Action Summit in partnership with C40 Cities, the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, Breathe Cities, the Under2 Coalition and other organisations. Bringing together mayors and governors from around the world, the summit built on discussions at COP28 and COP30 while highlighting the increasingly influential role cities and regional governments are playing in delivering climate action.
During the week, Bloomberg Philanthropies announced a $45 million investment in Breathe Cities, the global initiative delivered with the Clean Air Fund and C40 Cities. The funding will expand the programme to 16 cities across five continents, with Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and Madrid (Spain) joining the network to improve air quality and protect public health.
“Air pollution damages our health from before we take our first breath until our last and every child deserves to grow up breathing clean air,” said Cecilia Vaca Jones, Executive Director of Breathe Cities.
“This funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies allows us to go further: reaching more communities and cities, supporting more local partners and giving more people the tools to act on clean air in their own neighborhoods.”
Bloomberg Associates also co-hosted the Future Streets Forum with the Mayor of London and The Crown Estate, bringing together leading figures in urban design, transport and placemaking to explore how better streets can support economic growth, socially connected communities and environmental progress.
Looking ahead to COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, Bloomberg hosted a series of additional events including the UNEP Finance Initiative Global Roundtable, the COP30 to COP31 Leadership Dialogue and the Türkiye Energy Transition Investment Forum. A new partnership was also announced between Bloomberg Philanthropies and the COP31 Presidency to strengthen international cooperation, accelerate implementation of the Paris Agreement and support global climate action.
The programme reinforced London Climate Action Week's position as a key fixture on the international climate calendar, providing a platform for governments, cities, businesses and philanthropies to turn ambition into action ahead of COP31.
