Lack of Commitment and Progress in Corporate Climate Action

This week, we’re doing something a bit different outside of our typical interview format. This is a recap of New York Climate Week. I’ll share some of my impressions and you’ll hear from folks like Vice President Al Gore, California Senator Henry Stern, several friends, and fellow climate travelers. You’ll hear some segments from sessions I attended and sometimes it might sound like you’re actually there in a room full of people. If you hear an occasional cough or something, try to just think of it as getting closer to the experience of being there without any risk of coming home with COVID.

Over 75,000 people kicked off the week by taking to the streets for the Climate March on September 17th. Over the ensuing week, thousands of people from around the world joined over 585 official Climate Week sessions and likely as many unofficial ones. 

I kicked off the week in a somewhat surreal way. I work for a company called NationSwell. We’re an executive membership network and advisory that helps sustainability and other leaders take on bigger bets and be more successful. We were invited to bring some NationSwell members like Michael Komori, Chief Sustainability Officer of Starbucks, and joined Al Gore and other climate leaders in ringing the NASDAQ bell on Monday morning – which felt like a fitting start, as a question on everyone’s minds is: “If capitalism is up for the challenge, will corporations lead the transformation needed to cut emissions?”

In today's episode, we're hearing from:

• [1:34] Adam Lake, Climate Week NYC Lead of the Climate Group
• [2:34] Bonnie Gurry, Co-Founder of GreenPortfolio
• [5:15] Alex Wright Gladstein, Founder of Sphere
• [6:48] Nyla Mabro, New York Chapter of New Energy Nexus
• [7:18] Tom Chi, Founder of At One Ventures
• [8:54] Kirsten Snow Spalding, VP of the Investor Network at Ceres
• [10:45] Former US Vice President Al Gore
• [19:29] VP Al Gore on Climate TRACE
• [12:59] VP Al Gore on the state of climate progress
• [20:56] Katie Rae, CEO & Manager Partner of The Engine
• [22:51] Jeff Johnson, Managing Partner of Temasek
• [24:03] Clay Dumas, Founding Partner of Lowercarbon Capital
• [25:44] Clay Dumas on the unique opportunity for climate founders today
• [27:06] Ian Samuels, Founder & Managing Partner of New System Ventures
• [28:09] Colin le Duc, Founding Partner of Generation Investment Management
• [33:43] Dr. Vanessa Chan, Chief Commercialization Officer for the US Department of Energy and Director of the Office of Technology Transition
• [38:19] Dr. Chan on the role that corporations play & her plea
• [40:36] Mark Kroese, GM of Sustainability Solutions at Microsoft
• [42:00] Barbara Humpton, CEO of Siemens
• [44:47] Mark Kroese on how the IRA is making a difference
• [47:50] Rebecca Fay, CMO of Climate Impact Partners
• [49:11] California State Senator Henry Stern
• [52:02] Mary Creasman, CEO of California Environmental Voters
• [53:11] Chris Castro, Chief of Staff of the US Department of Energy
• [54:01] Miles Goodrich, Co-Founder of the Sunrise Movement
• [55:07] Yihanna von Ritter, Align Impact
• [58:14] Bodhi Patil, Co-Creator of Ocean Uprise & ocean advocate
• [1:00:14] Krystal Persaud, Founder & CEO of Wildgrid Solar
• [1:01:21] Jean-Louise Warnholz of Future
• [1:02:58] VP Al Gore on taking action

Resources Mentioned

• Nasdaq: Climate Leaders Ring the Opening Bell
• US Department of Treasury: Principles for Net-Zero Financing & Investment
• California Senate Bill 261
• California Senate Bill 253
• Climate Policy Initiative & Salesforce: The Corporate Climate Finance Playbook
• American Climate Corps Program
• US Department of State: Signing of the High Seas Treaty
• Global Biodiversity Fund
• UN: Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
• Climate-first investing with GreenPortfolio & Earth Equity Advisors, Ep #66
• Moving billions through 401ks with Sphere, Ep #7
• Supporting 100,000 climate founders with New Energy Nexus & Third Derivative, Ep #40
• Supporting founders with Lowercarbon Capital and the Climate Tech Bootcamp, Ep #18
• Investing for a net positive civilization with Tom Chi, Ep #20
• Systems transformation through finance with Ceres, Ep #31
• Climate TRACE’s bold plan to map emissions with satellites, sensors & AI, Ep #64
• The power of State action with CA Senator Josh Becker and CA Envirovoters CEO Mary Creasman, Ep #16
• US Department of Energy’s Chris Castro on helping communities access the IRA and more, Ep #50
• Sunrise Movement & young people’s fight for bold climate action, Ep #68
• Climate investing past, present & future with Jenn Kenning, Ep #61
• Innovation to restore our oceans with Sustainable Ocean Alliance & Ocean Uprise, Ep #53
• Going solar is easy & affordable with Wildgrid, Ep #8
• Sustainable shopping momentum with Future & Back Market, Ep #56

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