9/22/2022
It is a busy week in New York with Climate Week NYC 2022, running from September 19 to 25. This year’s theme is “Getting it Done”, calling the participants to debate practical directions to achieve by 2030 the sustainability and Net-Zero emissions goals. It is definitely an urgent matter and there is no time to lose.
Having half of the event occurred so far, partner Esther Jerussalmy Cunha shares some “hot topics” of the discussions about the alternatives, the challenges and the lessons learned, with an eye to turn the commitments into a concrete reality.
- Countries and governors, as well as public sector entities will not be able to make alone the required changes, which are urgent and complex. Cooperation is key for the goal achievement. To that regard, there are interesting lessons learned from the pandemic of Covid-19 about countries and public-private cooperation and even between companies that are competitors. Multinational agreements for industrialized products and innovative technologies will be very important. Agriculture, transport, energy, and construction sectors are important players on the collaboration to accelerate the transition.
- It is true that companies already acknowledge that they have a fundamental role in doing businesses in a sustainable manner. However, what will really change people’s mindset and will bring exponential change in terms of their involvement and awareness are information and transparency. Companies (not only governmental and non-governmental organizations) have the power to positively influence people for the taking of concrete actions, not only as businesses provider, but also as a solution hub for the damages resulting from their own economic activity. Companies need to find ways to democratize their innovations and solutions.
- The Net-Zero fundings need to reach the countries in development and those less favored, in such a way to irrigate small local businesses – instead of targeting the big companies. Without access to such adequate funding, such countries will not be able to reach the set goals and inequality shall only increase.
- Clean Energy is not a subject to be taken care of only in times of political and economic stability, as some believe. To the contrary: the recent Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine claim now for urgent actions because of decisions that have been postponed in the past. In fact, Clean Energy is a priority specially in times of political and economic uncertainty and instability.
- There are very interesting experiences going on in Sweden and Germany in the attempt to take people out of indifference. A minority has the power to positively tip the majority when it comes to climate change. Although people may be inert “living their own lives”, this is a subject that is important to everyone. Such positive influence is crucial not only for the achievement of the targets, but also for a change of paradigm. As such, companies have the fundamental role to act as “good neighbors”, helping and interacting in their communities, generating jobs.
- The accountability of the agents has been a very hot topic in the discussions and will certainly be major on the final debates. There are even discussions that it is not sufficient to be Net-Zero when, for example, biodiversity is already compromised. The damages of the past should be remedied in the present actions. One should look at the future, with an eye to correct the past.
