TL;DR: This year’s Climate Week revealed where the white space in sustainability communications still exists: food systems as climate solutions, urban farming as infrastructure, and nature-inspired innovation. For brands that can pair compelling narratives with clear action plans, these stories are open territory.
Climate Week NYC always brings bold visions and big announcements. Net zero pledges, ESG targets and sustainability reports have become familiar refrains. But what stood out this year were the stories, and just as importantly, the action plans behind them.
For innovators in cleantech, agtech and sustainability, this is where opportunity lies. Owning the “white space” in communications, the underexplored but high-impact narratives, is not enough on its own. Organizations also need a strategy and clear steps so that when the conversation opens, they are ready to lead it.
At this year’s Climate Week, three narratives emerged that smart brands should pay attention to—stories with the right blend of scale, specificity and vision with clear pathways forward. Each represents an area where the conversation is opening but not yet crowded, where the right message can still shape how the market understands the opportunity.
Food Systems: The Overlooked Giant
While energy and transportation dominate most climate headlines, food is another critical driver hiding in plain sight. Project Drawdown reminded audiences that food, agriculture and land use account for up to a third of global emissions. Despite the scale, this story receives far less attention than energy or transportation, even though food systems are central to any long-term sustainability solution.
For agtech and foodtech leaders, this is an open lane. Framing innovation as part of the broader sustainability solution, not just an efficiency or yield play, can position a brand at the center of a conversation that media and policymakers are beginning to prioritize and understand. The key is pairing the message with tangible plans that show how your work scales.
Urban Farming as Climate Infrastructure
If food is an under-recognized lever, cities are an under-recognized stage. At the Javits Center, leaders highlighted the rooftop farm as proof that city design can support resilience. Brooklyn Grange, the team behind the farm, showed how urban agriculture turns rooftops into infrastructure that mitigates heat, controls flooding and addresses food insecurity. Urban farming supports more than food production. It supports systems change.
Innovators in green infrastructure and urban systems can reframe their work as essential to stronger communities and resilient design. By showing not just the vision but the steps to implement it, brands can earn credibility and find new entry points with reporters, city leaders and investors.
Nature as Innovator
And beyond cities, nature itself continues to offer a playbook for solutions. Sessions on biomimicry, hosted by The Biomimicry Institute and Action Speaks, highlighted how natural systems such as fungi and butterfly wings are inspiring market-ready solutions by applying nature’s designs to human challenges. These stories combine awe with practicality, making them powerful hooks.
Positioning products as inspired by nature is instantly compelling, but it works best when paired with outcomes and roadmaps. Show what the innovation is, how it will be scaled and who it will benefit.
Turning White Space into Advantage
Owning the white space is not about chasing the loudest headlines. It is about recognizing where your story can matter most and showing how you will act on it. That combination of vision and strategy is what primes the market and positions you to lead.
At RH Strategic, we collaborate with leaders and innovators across clean tech, agtech and sustainability to shape bold narratives that stand out, resonate and drive real impact. Ready to carve our your white space in today’s conversations? Let’s make sure your story isn’t lost in the noise when it should be leading the way.
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RH Strategic is a Seattle and D.C.-based PR agency with a nationwide presence and additional global reach via membership in the Worldcom Public Relations Group. We provide strategic public relations for innovators in the technology, government, healthcare, and social and environmental impact markets.
