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At formal United Nations media briefings, in swanky auditoriums and at crowded progressive celebrations, one word was on all lips at this year’s New York Climate Week: affordability.

The American energy chief, Chris Wright, stated that under President Trump the United States is “reverting to commonsense energy policies that concentrate on affordability”. The former energy secretary, Jennifer Granholm, emphasized Democrats must center on renewable power’s ability to shrink power bills to secure elections. And supporters of the likely future New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani, promoted their efforts to connect green policies with actions to lower city residents’ rent and make transit affordable.

The attempt to link everyday cost issues to global warming is longstanding. The idea was a key part of the progressive climate plan, a progressive policy platform championed by youth-led climate group the Sunrise Movement and New York representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in 2018. Joe Biden picked up the framing in the White House, naming his signature green carbon-cutting policy the Inflation Reduction Act, from 2022.

Now, as utility bills soar around the country, Americans on every part of the ideological divide are framing their energy and climate proposals as methods to protect everyday citizens’ finances.

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Spotlight

Every year, Climate Week in New York City unites public leaders, business representatives, experts and activists for a vast array of climate-focused events, timed to coincide with the United Nations general assembly.

This year, the Trump administration’s anti-environmental blitz threw a massive shadow over the event. In appearances through the week, White House officials sought to frame its deregulatory agenda as a win to lower Americans’ bills, with Trump calling green energy a “scam” and Wright saying: “The more people have gotten into so-called climate action, the more expensive their energy has become.”

Environmental supporters worked to reveal those statements as false while persuading Americans to support with green policies on the basis that they can lower costs. For instance, two Democratic representatives, from Illinois and California, introduced a plan to accelerate new power-line construction and reinstate green energy incentives which Trump canceled earlier this year. Its title: the Cheap Energy Act.

It’s a framework that Jennifer Granholm, who served as US energy secretary under Biden, said she expected as climate falls down the list of public priorities for Americans, while financial anxieties rise. “My guess is you’re not going to see a lot of politicians using the word ‘climate’, because people see that as a nice-to-have [concern], not a essential, and right now they’re in the critical mode,” she told reporters during avocado toast one morning. “Affordability is crucial.”

Those significantly Granholm’s progressive side also called for a emphasis on affordability in the climate fight. But many called for more far-reaching solutions that deliver more quick benefits. Instead of merely adjusting with the tax code to incentivize green technology expansion – a hallmark of Biden’s climate efforts – politicians should focus on less wonky, “green economic populist” campaigns such as no-cost transit and the development of decarbonized public housing.

“These kinds of programs do have emissions-reduction benefits, but they’re highly important for starting to build up a broad support [who have] faith in public institutions and confidence in the government,” Batul Hassan, workforce lead at the left-leaning thinktank Climate and Community Institute, remarked at a panel.

Mamdani, the socialist who secured a stunning win in the New York City mayoral primary this summer, represents this kind of platform, said Hassan. On Wednesday of Climate Week, progressives assembled for a dance party at the renowned Sounds of Brazil music venue to honor the candidate’s success.

“It has long been understood that if we’re going to create a mass movement, people need to see the link between the transition to renewable energy and paying less money,” New York City comptroller Brad Lander said in an interview at the party, shouting over the beat of Charli xcx.

Messaging is important, but merely speaking about affordability is insufficient, Alexa Avilés, a New York City council member and progressive, told the Guardian at the Mamdani event. Trump, for instance, has not delivered to fulfill on his promise of reducing bills as handing huge benefits to oil giants and other corporations. And many Democrats are also guilty of prioritizing their corporate donors’ interests, Avilés said.

“Some people speak about everyday folks, but then they make policies that are intended for the rich. We’ve been dealing with that disappointment for a long time,” she said. “We need to concentrate on truly bringing relief to people. And we see that when we really center people over profit, people respond to that. People can discern who is sincere.”

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