By Nico Nicholas, CEO and Co-founder – ZEERO Group 

A warm Autumnal week greeted thousands descending on New York for an historic few days. With the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and Climate Week NYC taking place simultaneously, there was an air of anticipation and excitement about the conversations that lay ahead. Despite a tense political landscape – not least with the geopolitical messaging around climate change – the week carried a sense of urgency, as well as optimism. 

Across packed panels and roundtables, the global business community spoke of collaboration, innovation, and ambition. Companies announced new funding pledges and fresh initiatives, while industry leaders called for partnerships to unlock solutions at scale. At first glance, the mood was hopeful. Yet, as I listened in, one question kept surfacing: are we really collaborating, or simply paying lip service while continuing to work in silos? 

A key discussion point was the future of travel. For the sector, fragmentation – both within and with adjacent industries such as energy, hospitality, and waste management – is one of the biggest barriers to decarbonisation. Too often, companies invest and coordinate climate action in isolation, making only symbolic contributions that fall far short of what's needed.  

If organisations pooled even modest resources across sectors, scaling sustainable solutions like waste-to-fuel would become far more achievable, delivering real impact rather than incremental progress. The truth is, we already have viable models, prototypes, and proven results – what's missing is the collective will to act at scale.
 
To unlock the industry's full potential, what's required is a genuine culture of collaboration, supported by a robust investment strategy and targeted regulation. Through this model, responsibility and reward is shared, and the industry can move beyond rhetoric to achieve meaningful, lasting climate action. 

It's easy to celebrate individual initiatives – saving turtles, planting trees – but these are not systemic solutions. They alone will not combat the climate crisis. The bigger picture demands commercial models that are truly scalable, with risk and responsibility shared far more equitably across governments, investors, and corporates alike. Without this, progress will stall and the planet, and its people, will suffer. 

Looking inward at the travel industry, the reality is stark. Unless the sector steps up meaningfully, regulation is a must. More fines, more restrictions, and more pressure will drive up costs, limit consumer choice, and dampen global mobility. By then, change will be reactive, and far too late. 

The conversations across Climate Week showed that there is appetite for transformation. But appetite alone does not reduce emissions. What is missing is collective courage. Decarbonisation and renewables cannot remain an optional extra or a “nice to have” that looks good on a CSR report. They are fundamental. They are the elephant in the room that too many still dance around. And, critically, they are the power to change. 

The lesson from New York is clear: words are no longer enough. Collaboration must become more than a buzzword. We need accountability, shared frameworks, and scalable funding models if we are to meet the challenge head-on.  

Climate Week NYC reminded us that the window for action is still open, but narrowing. The question is whether we will seize it together – or continue to congratulate ourselves on fragmented progress while the crisis deepens. The answer is set to shape our future.  

Our future depends on it.