Stand Up for Science panel to examine science, democracy and climate at Climate Week

Stand Up for Science will host a public panel in Midtown on Sept. 23 during New York Climate Week 2026. The event will bring together climate scientists and science advocates to discuss why democratic decision-making and scientific urgency are often at odds, and what it will take to close that gap.

Why it matters: - The panel centers a growing policy tension: climate science is moving faster than many democratic systems can act on it. - The discussion is meant to connect evidence, governance and climate action in front of a public audience during New York Climate Week. - Attendees will be able to submit questions, making the event a forum for public engagement as well as expert discussion.

What happened: - Stand Up for Science will host “Science, Democracy and Climate” on Sept. 23 in Midtown Manhattan as part of New York Climate Week 2026. - The free event is open to the public. - The panel will be moderated by Dr. Colette Delawalla, CEO and founder of Stand Up for Science. - Panelists include Dr. Ticora Jones, chief science officer at the Natural Resources Defense Council, and Dr. Michael Mann, a climate researcher at the University of Pennsylvania. - The event is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 23, at 3 p.m. Eastern at 22 East 30th Street in New York City. - Interested attendees can reserve a spot through the event registration link.

The details: - The panel will explore how scientific consensus, democratic governance and the climate crisis interact. - Discussion will focus on why democratic systems sometimes struggle to keep pace with scientific urgency. - The event will examine what it takes to bridge the gap between evidence and action. - Delawalla said the relationship between evidence and governance is under strain. - Delawalla also said efforts to discontinue research, defund agencies and sideline experts show a democracy problem as well as a climate problem.

Between the lines: - The event reflects a broader push by science advocates to frame climate change not only as an environmental issue, but also as a test of democratic institutions. - Bringing together a nonprofit leader, a federal science advocate and a climate researcher suggests the panel is designed to bridge activism, policy and research. - Hosting the discussion during Climate Week gives Stand Up for Science a large public platform to argue that science policy is now inseparable from governance.

What's next: - The panel will take place Sept. 23, and organizers expect a live public discussion with audience questions. - Stand Up for Science is likely to continue using public events to press its broader message about science funding, agency support and democratic accountability.

The bottom line: - Stand Up for Science is using Climate Week to argue that climate action depends on protecting both scientific evidence and the democratic systems that turn evidence into policy.