After grappling with the climate challenge for two decades, we have concluded that policy alone has not – and cannot by itself – solve today’s greatest environmental challenges. We believe that incorporating strategies to mitigate environmental externalities and to create shared value with society and the planet is part and parcel of increasing profits and shareholder value.
We believe that companies working as part of the solution will be more profitable than those that are not.
Over the last century, capitalism’s highly effective pursuit of profit – as much as any other factor — has contributed to climate change, resource depletion, and the degradation of natural systems. Yes, this was a failure of policy, but it also demonstrates the awesome power of markets and the profit motive. “Climate Capitalism” is about how we make it just as profitable to save the planet as it has been to put it in jeopardy.
Yes, a price on carbon would be extremely helpful in galvanizing the climate mitigation market. But even without those clear price signals, climate-friendly technologies and innovations for energy efficiency, low carbon energy, and other green technologies are seeing rapid growth. Companies are increasingly aware that incorporating climate considerations and emissions mitigation strategies into their businesses increases margins, mitigates risk, attracts investment, helps the hiring and retention of top employees, and provides valuable reputational benefits.
We help our clients out-compete their peers and become more profitable by reducing their environmental impact and by providing solutions to climate change and other environmental challenges. This is our day job. But because we are passionate about protecting our planet and its natural resources for our children and future generations, when not working for our clients, we are actively engaged in thought leadership around clean energy, climate change, and conservation. Talking the talk and walking the walk on Climate Capitalism is central to who we are.
Roger summarized the case for Climate Capitalism in this April 2018 TEDx Talk.
