Hurricane Harvey, a Category 4 storm, made landfall in Texas on August 25, 2017. The storm stalled over the Houston region, dumping more than 40 inches of rain in some areas and making it the wettest tropical cyclone on record in the United States. Harvey's impacts included immense property damage, displacing thousands of people, and causing numerous fatalities, with some estimates of total economic damage exceeding $155 billion. 

On Hurricane Harvey's first anniversary, a pivotal meeting occurred. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Katie Mehnert, political opposites, set aside differences to address the shared crisis. Their conversation was about securing the future of Houston, the energy capital of the world, the beginning of the dialogue between energy and climate, and the role of industry and community coming together.

On April 22, 2020, the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the City of Houston launched the science-based, community-driven Houston Climate Action Plan with support from the Houston Advanced Research Center, Centerpoint Energy, and the Jacob & Terese Hershey Foundation.

The City of Houston's Office of Sustainability hosted a virtual Houston Climate Week to mark the third anniversary of Hurricane Harvey and to highlight the city's actions on climate change.  Greentown Labs Boston taps into Big Energy in Texas to break ground on a new lab.

The 'perfect storm' for the energy transition happens as a result of the Houston Climate Action Plan.  Greentown Labs Houston launches on Earth Day, and Juliana Garaizar steps into the role of Head of Houston and Chief Investment Officer.  

The City of Houston's Office of Sustainability hosted its second Houston Climate Week online, chaired by Mayor Sylvester Turner.

Greentown Labs Houston celebrated its second anniversary. GTL inaugural member company, ALLY Energy, led a team of 100 executives to the NYSE to host Energy Human Capital Markets Day on Wall Street with Tata Consulting Services and Worley.  The team ran the TCS New York Marathon to demonstrate the herculean effort and mindset needed for the energy transition.

Allies in Energy, a 501c3 non-profit, was formed in Texas and filed with the IRS to address energy education and climate literacy, and Houston Energy & Climate Week was born.  This week brings together major cities in creating the national conversations and actions around a net zero future and Houston's leading role in driving solutions.  

Houston Energy & Climate Week will be September 13-18, 2026.  The theme builds on the previous two:  Houston is Both & All