This summer, I served as a climate policy fellow at the 5BORO Institute, a startup think tank dedicated to tackling some of New York City's most pressing challenges and issues — from public health and child care to housing and climate change. As a fellow, I researched relevant policy ideas for NYC to mitigate climate change and adapt to its impacts. I supported the development of policy briefs and communications materials including policy memos, briefs, op-eds, and public testimonies. In collaboration with the chief of staff, Tasfia Nayem, I produced two reports outlining recommendations for the NYC government: one to better address air quality threats and the other to prepare for extreme heat events in the city. I was also responsible for putting together the weekly newsletter — with summaries of articles, op-eds, highlights of events happening in NYC — and formatting the content for publication.

Throughout this fellowship, I was able to apply many skills and concepts I learned at the Columbia Climate School. Johanna Lovecchio's Imagining Climate Resilience and Justice course explored climate justice and action through a lens of urban planning, design, and policy in support of communities and ecologies on the frontlines. This class taught me the importance of incorporating justice and equity principles into climate policies and centering the needs of communities historically excluded from the policy-making process. Michael Gerrard's Climate Law class deepened my knowledge of the legal tools available to address climate change in both the United States and New York City, highlighting the need to promote energy efficiency and advance the use of renewable energy sources in NYC. Lastly, my time as a graduate research assistant equipped me with essential research skills, allowing me to contribute effectively to the 5BORO's work by providing well-researched insights.

Working for a startup taught me to swiftly adjust to new tasks and changing priorities. Since the 5BORO is such a small organization, I had to be flexible with the team's schedule and projects, which required me to shift gears and refocus on different tasks to ensure that our deliverables were on track and timely. While it might have been challenging at times, I found this experience extremely valuable and exciting as I learned to balance multiple tasks at once. One goal that I haven't met during this fellowship was engaging directly with climate experts, industry professionals, or community leaders to better inform policy recommendations. I believe gathering insights from these key stakeholders and tapping into their expertise would have been a great way to “co-produce” policy and learn new approaches and solutions to climate challenges in a transdisciplinary fashion.

Working with the 5BORO further fueled my passion for climate policy-making and my commitment to advancing equitable climate policies and solutions at the city level. This fellowship not only provided me with first-hand experience in public policy but also allowed me to understand how think-and-do tanks operate, which are organizations I've been interested in working with for quite some time. I learned about the practical steps and partnerships needed to advance climate policy at the municipal level, gained insights into the roles played by the New York City government and its diverse agencies, and strengthened my research and policy-writing skills. My supervisor and executive director were great sources of guidance throughout the summer, and I learned a lot from their professional expertise. Overall, my time as a fellow was truly fulfilling and I hope to pursue similar work in the future, whether within a think tank or a local government setting.