Padova Climate Action Week returns in 2027: a journey that cannot be stopped
2026 was a turning point on climate change. It will remain indelibly etched in our collective memory for the force with which it left us facing, defenseless, the violence and severity of climate change’s consequences.
Wildfires destroyed large swaths of forest across Europe. Severe heat waves struck again and again. A glacier collapsed in Nepal, and the images of people swept away by the mud with no hope of escape were harrowing.
These are not events of a dystopian future. They are today’s reality, and they confirm that the alarm science has been sounding for years has now come knocking forcefully at our door.
When I decided to launch the first edition of Padova Climate Action Week in October 2025, I never imagined that it would take place in the same year as the global shock of the climate crisis. Nor could I have imagined that shortly afterward, at COP30 in Belém, countries around the world (with the notable exception of the USA) would recognize Climate Weeks as fundamental tools for engaging the world’s population in the climate transition.
The first edition of PCAW was a success, with 83 events spread across more than 30 locations in the city and more than 1,600 participants. Above all, it was made possible by the collaboration of 15 strategic partners, a further 25 organizations supporting the project, 8 media partners, and the patronage of the Municipality and the University of Padova.
An incredible amount of energy and expertise came together in a city committed to becoming climate neutral by 2030, with the intellectual potential of one of the oldest universities in the world and more than 70,000 students.
This remarkable mix was the foundation of the 2026 success, and also the starting point for launching an even more transformative second edition. We believe Padova can become a laboratory not only for ideas but for real change across Italy, and can make a contribution beyond our national borders as well.
We are convinced that at a time when the climate crisis still struggles to find the space it deserves in the media (beyond coverage of extreme events) and, above all, in political debate, dedicating a full week to it matters more than ever. 2026 forced us to face the urgency of this problem, and 2027 must be the year of action.
We want to strengthen this shared space, working together with many other people to turn awareness into action. It is a collective effort, because no one can face a transition of this scale alone, yet every person is essential to making the necessary change real.
We believe that for this change to gain strength, we must provide a space that brings together organizations, institutions, researchers, businesses, and citizens in a shared laboratory, helping connect visions and experiences that often remain fragmented for the rest of the year.
It is an opportunity to exchange knowledge, spark collaborations, and turn ideas into concrete, immediate solutions for the climate transition.
It is a chance to build solutions at the local level while looking up at what is happening globally, to understand what has worked among what has been done, and to look together at what remains to be done.
The 2027 edition of PCAW wants to build on the great experience of the first edition, adding more voices, perspectives, and energy, but with the same determination: to continue the conversation and turn debate into concrete, shared action. Because putting the climate crisis at the center of public conversation is the fundamental step toward bringing about the change we need.
Whether you are motivated by a desire to share your experience or to find out how you can be part of the climate transition, we look forward to seeing you in Padova in April 2027.