Another Climate Week is behind us, and it was one for the record books. And not necessarily in a good way.
The event — or, rather, hundreds of them — was 100 percent virtual, a still-nascent phenomenon from both a technological and programming perspective. I’d give the event a C+ in terms of being engaging and interactive. Too many rote presentations, too much preaching to the converted, too many read speeches in lieu of actual conversations.
But the backdrop of Climate Week 2020 was what set it apart: hurricanes, droughts, floods, tornadoes, wildfires — you know the drill — combined with the looming exit by the United States from the 2015 Paris Agreement. The reality of climate change as a here-and-now emergency was more palpable than ever.
And, of course, the upcoming presidential election, which will determine in large part whether the world’s largest economy remains a rogue player on the world climate stage. The presidential and congressional elections were seen as existential — not just for strengthening the increasingly tenuous cause of democracy in the United States and elsewhere, but for garnering the kinds of public- and private-sector commitments needed to head off the worst of the climate crisis.
On that score, there was encouragement. There were corporate commitments galore. “Net-zero” seems to be the new black. Net-zero carbon, net-zero fossil fuels, net-zero water, net-zero materials and “net-zero financed emissions,” in the case of Morgan Stanley.
You can read a lot more about Climate Week commitments in Heather Clancy’s comprehensive wrap-up.
The Climate Week program was almost incidental to all that — as I said, a tepid brew of all-too-familiar presentations and exhortations. But the corporate (and governmental) commitments provided a refreshing counterbalance — exciting, real-world market transformations that will help move things along.
Taking care of business
Lots more webcasts coming up over the next few weeks. I’m particularly excited about one next week, on Oct. 6, on Creating Partnerships to Advance Sustainable Packaging, focusing on how companies are working with suppliers to create innovative solutions that align with companies’ sustainability and climate goals
Two items of note related to next month’s VERGE 20 conference and expo:
Applications for our Emerging Leaders program, which provides scholarships and special programming to a diverse group of up-and-coming clean economy professionals, are due by Oct. 9. Apply here.
Applications for this year’s VERGE Accelerate are due today! That’s our fast-pitch competitions taking place online on the mainstage at VERGE 20. Startups focused on clean energy, transportation and mobility, carbon removal, the circular economy, and sustainable food systems can submit a 60-second video nomination here by close of business today.
True Hospitality for Good
Sponsored by InterContinental Hotels Group: IHG is home to the world’s most well-loved hotel brands and with 5,900+ hotels in 100+ countries, we’re proud to make positive local change on a global scale. Our commitment to care comes naturally to a business which stands for providing True Hospitality for everyone - for the world around us, or if you stay, work or partner with us.
Sponsored by BASF: At BASF, we combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. We contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world to enhance the quality of life. We source responsibly, produce safely and efficiently, value people and treat them with respect, and engage with our communities.
I’m personally exhausted yet optimistic. The desire for change, especially in how businesses impact Black communities, is heading in the right direction. We have to watch out, however. This is a moment in time when all of the initiatives can easily become one-off, as opposed to the first step in changing the way we work over the long run. We don’t need any more Band-Aids.
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