Global Climate Action Summit: A Little Less Talk, A Lot More Action

The Global Climate Action Summit Exceeds All Expectations

Leaders from around the globe and more than 300 CEOs of the world’s largest corporations, came together in San Francisco in September for the Global Climate Action Summit (GCAS). To date, the GCAS is the biggest gathering of industry, government and NGOs dedicated to addressing climate change with climate action. And they weren’t there just to talk. They came with more than 500 major climate action commitments, including major financial resources, agreements between government entities, and signed agreements with specific targets towards climate stability.

As 1 of just 4,000 international delegates to the GCAS, what impressed me the most was the innovative progress on display. CEOs and world leaders came to the Summit not to preach about the scientific validity of climate change, or reiterate the problem, but to announce major commitments backed by unprecedented funding, all aimed at addressing climate change. The Summit and the public commitments made are helping drive momentum toward COP24, when global leaders will come together in Poland to discuss the progress on the Paris Agreement, and the 2019 Climate Summit coordinated by the UN.

The magnitude of participation from top global industries is unmatched in the climate action movement. High tech, energy, healthcare, food and beverage, transportation and agriculture industries led the way announcing major initiatives. Confirming a recent report by Weber Shandwick which found that consumers want to see a CEO stand up for company values such as sustainability and climate change, CEOs delivered a decisive message backed up by strategic plans, big goals and significant financial resources.

Just as impressive was the determination among U.S. regional leaders that rely on federal funding to break with a White House that has publicly stated they do not believe in climate change. In a matter of a few days, dozens of compacts and memorandums of understanding between U.S. governors and mayors, and world leaders were signed and celebrated.

When participants were not making major commitment announcements they were having hard conversations and coming to terms with the difficult realities of climate change. Breakout sessions like “Creating a Just Transition: Decent Jobs and Climate Action,” included government, union and industry, none of whom shied away from the reality that climate action will both create new types of jobs and make many jobs obsolete.

As the Summit wrapped up it was hard to escape the feeling of the almost impossible task ahead. Participants are charged with quickly initiating and implementing major policy shifts and practical solutions, while simultaneously including an unprecedented amount of stakeholder collaboration and interaction. However, there was also a sense of credible momentum. The Summit proved that global industry and government, science and innovation, and those who represent the most resource-challenged in society can come together with the strength and commitment necessary to face challenges of this magnitude.

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Edited by Jillian Nystedt and Karlee Niklas