,
9 tweets,
2 min read
Read on Twitter
Spent all morning via @BusinessGreen listening to business leaders from transport world talking about how to get to “net zero” emissions. Some things I thought. [1]
There are exponential changes happening in low carbon tech. Single largest reason for optimism on climate is that change can happen really fast. Humans and our hairtrigger mental health aren’t wired for exponential thinking tho. (2)
I’m a proper sucker, and I can’t help it, for smart people in innovative businesses that talk with calm passion about their genuinely good initiative. We need innovation. It is good. (3)
As usual though so much of the unthinking language of the business world is dissonant with my values. They all talk about “climate solutions”. Language betrays mindset that still puts economy > nature. And that’s bleak. (4)
Really tough regulations are needed on standards and targets with a welter of other stuff too, but that other stuff needs to enable rapid innovation and very fast changing tech. Govt should start by halving whatever deadline business suggests for phasing a thing out. (5)
The social dimension isn’t in the conversation. As @ChiefExecCCC said, social licence and fairness aren’t now optional for radical economy wide action. On just transition the “we are creating jobs” line isn’t enough. (6)
Businesses contain multitudes, like trade unions. Business people adopt personas. This was a “can do” hat wearing day. Obv we need to act on climate. But how many of these people argue against radical ambition when in other forums? (7)
If government is going to be asked to “derisk” investments it should set conditions on place based investments, jobs and skills for affected communities, and it should take an equity stake. (8)
Finally it’s obvious that the next ten years will have to be a bit chaotic and lots of investments will fail and we don’t do things in the perfect order, but if business hadn’t spent years restraining govt ambition we might have had the luxury of perfection. (9)
