From COP to COP: about Climate and Biodiversity - Think, Teach, Act
Last year has been marked by two crucial international conferences to decide the future of the planet and life on it. The U.N. climate change conference, COP27, at Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, which closed on November 20 and the U.N. biodiversity conference, COP15, at Montreal (from December 7 to 19).c
2022 has also been marked with cascading weather disasters, forcing some world leaders to implement their engagements to reduce global warming. Action can no longer be delayed. And this not only applies to our Heads of State and governments. We should not expect everything to be resolved by COPs and international diplomacy. Business leaders, employees, citizens and higher education institutions like ours - we all have a critical role to play in addressing climate change.
Our entire future is at stake. There is much to process in order to advance. That’s why, more than ever, we need to understand and act. Here is how we intend to help students, executives, decision makers, companies and organizations to navigate in this complex world and to engage the necessary transformations centered on science-based knowledge.
On Biodiversity
HEC Community calls on business leaders and decision-makers to take action for biodiversity
Biodiversity : HEC Alumni calls for decisive action
The HEC Alumni White Paper on Biodiversity aims at building momentum to address the biodiversity crisis.
This report serves two intertwined objectives:
- raising awareness of the biodiversity crisis in the business community
- delivering a call to business leaders and policymakers to address this crisis with decisiveness and efficiency.
French Minister Backs HEC White Paper on Biodiversity
On the eve of COP15 in Montreal, the HEC Alumni Association formally presented the French Minister for Energy Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher (H95), with their White Paper on Biodiversity. The publication is an urgent and timely call to the global business community and policymakers to join forces to defend the world’s biodiversity, an essential complement to the fight against global warming. The 129-page paper was co-authored by two senior HEC alumni and five young graduates.
Read the full white paper
Actionable steps to avert the biodiversity collapse
It aims at laying ground for steps with actionable insights and best practices.
A list of actions which are well within reach and can be launched in the very short-term, engaging company-wide dialogues to build momentum to adress the biodiversity crisis.
In order to avert the biodiversity collapse, they will need to ensure that:
- They are up to date with the main concepts related to biodiversity, and the drivers of the biodiversity crisis;
- They have adequate knowledge of the biodiversity risks that their company is exposed to, and the extent to which their business model relies on biodiversity;
- Their corporate governance is designed to take into account biodiversity issues both in day-to-day business decisions and in longerterm strategic planning;
- Employees have access to training on biodiversity issues, both the general concepts and more idiosyncratic issues related to their specific line of work.
- Finally, business leaders can benefit greatly in this endeavour from an in-depth and constructive dialogue with outside stakeholders including policymakers, scientists and civilsociety organisations.
8 recommendations to integrate biodiversity into business strategy and practices
#ClimateChange and #BiodiversityLoss: There is strong scientific evidence that we are experiencing the sixth mass extinction. Here's what business leaders and decision makers can do about it ➡️ https://t.co/p2PwsyRQqH @HECAlumni cc @HECParisSnO #COP15 #biodiversity pic.twitter.com/y9cAuh75GE
— HEC Paris Business School (@HECParis) December 11, 2022
#ClimateChange and #BiodiversityLoss are intertwined crises. ?️ A word from @HECAlumni President @adrien_couret on why business leaders and policymakers should take action now ➡️ https://t.co/p2PwsyRQqH cc @HECParisSnO #BiodiversityDay #COP27 #ClimateAction #Biodiversity pic.twitter.com/U84ldPuAsY
— HEC Paris Business School (@HECParis) November 16, 2022
Understand what is at stake when talk about biodiversity and ecology with Gilles Boeuf's conference (in french).
La biodiversité : quelle urgence et quelles solutions? Conférence de Gilles Boeuf à HEC Paris
On Decarbonization
Why we need to put a value on carbon
For for the launch of the first edition of the HEC Climate Days on May 2022, we were very honored to welcome Christian Gollier, Professor and Executive Director of Toulouse School of Economics, and contributor to IPCC reports.
Examining the economics of climate change, he first explained the mechanics behind our inertia:
- Externalities: if you emit CO2, you benefit from cheap energy but are damaging the future, whereas if you reduce emissions and therefore reduce future damage, you bear the sacrifice but do not enjoy the future benefits.
- The tragedy of the horizons: we are desperately short-termist, even “democracies are in a dictatorship of the present”.
- Carbon leakage: if you penalize carbon emitters, they will move across the border, along with jobs
The Economics of Climate Change, Christian Gollier - HEC Climate Days
Carbon Footprinting and Pricing: The Role of Marketing in Climate Change
The mere threat of #carbon regulation may lead to the adoption of a green technology, says research by #HECprof Daniel Halbheer. Here's why ➡️ https://t.co/5RdG22NjQq @HECKnowledge #decarbonization #CarbonFootprint #COP27 pic.twitter.com/GZh6EBnSFp
— HEC Paris Business School (@HECParis) November 18, 2022
Net zero strategies and carbon offsetting: real transformation or greenwashing?
According to the Corporate Climate Responsibility Monitor that assessed the transparency and integrity of 25 companies’ emission reduction and “net-zero” only one had proven “reasonable ambition”. Carbon offsets that are usually part of the net zero strategies represent emissions stored, absorbed or avoided by a given project, such as reforestation or renewable energy. The value of the market for offsetting projects has exceeded 1 billion euros in 2021 and is growing fast driven by the corporate demand.
But does it really contribute to net zero or is it just an excuse to continue business as usual?
Net Zero Strategies: Real Transformation or Greenwashing? - HEC Climate Days
HEC Climate Days: Carbon offsetting can you buy indulgence?
Are #carbon markets the solution against #ClimateChange? Read this research by #HECprof Arnaud Van Waeyenberge ➡️ https://t.co/ZQ2PEvOhc5 cc @HECKnowledge #DecarbonizationDay #COP27 pic.twitter.com/ZQc18uZfmu
— HEC Paris Business School (@HECParis) November 11, 2022
On Planetary Boundaries and Growth
Watch the conference (in french) of Philippe Bihouix, engineer, specialist in non-renewable resources and promoter of Low-tech, on “Planetary Boundaries -Resources and Technology”.
Limites planétaires – ressources & technologie. Conférence de Philippe Bihouix à HEC Paris
Watch the conference (in french) of Timotée Parrique, researcher at the School of Economics and Management of Lund University, one of the most committed economists in favor of degrowth, author of the book “Ralentir ou périr. L’économie de la décroissance” (September 2022, Seuil).
"Ralentir ou Périr" Timothée Parrique à HEC Paris
Climat: The imperative of Transforming our economies
Faber’s Clarion Call to Students: “Don’t Quit! Redefine the Economies of Tomorrow”
ISSB Chairperson Emmanuel Faber kickstarted the 2022-2023 HEC Talks season with an impassioned plea to students to “reinvent the future” through resilience and a regenerative culture. The September 12 talk by the former Danone CEO marked Faber’s first return to his alma mater since the 2016 Commencement Day speech which drew millions of viewers and transformed Faber’s public image.
HEC TALKS: With Emmanuel Faber, Chair of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB)
What must be done to bring the French economy into line with a 5% annual reduction in global emissions, compatible with our climate commitments, while allowing everyone to find a job?
This is the question that the “Plan for Transforming the French Economy” (PTEF ou Plan de transformation de l’économie française), led by Jean-Marc Jancovici, President of the Shift Project, is addressing.
Watch his conference
Climat, énergie : comment transformer l’économie française avec Jean-Marc Jancovici
HEC Climate Days: Discussing tools and mechanisms for climate action
The need to tackle climate change has created massive challenges for businesses and policymakers. The Climate Days organized on the HEC campus on May 30th and 31th brought together actors from the corporate, political, and academic world as well as the civil society to discuss potential solutions to these challenges.
On Climate Action
As #COP27 opens today, our collective responsibility to prepare present and future leaders for #climate leadership is ever more critical to effectively tackle this planetary emergency. More about the #Bschools4climate coalition ➡️ https://t.co/T0yjRGbZHi cc @COP27P #ClimateAction pic.twitter.com/GehDGlqEC5
— HEC Paris Business School (@HECParis) November 6, 2022
?️ This is #HECprof @alemannoEU's take on the role of academia in support for global action to tackle #ClimateChange. Read further ➡️ https://t.co/NvCaIDFRwq @Verfassungsblog cc @HECKnowledge #COP27 #TogetherForImplementation #Scholactivism pic.twitter.com/HkwGzmT02L
— HEC Paris Business School (@HECParis) November 14, 2022
How to be a climate leader in your business?
Engaging Stakeholders for Climate Action - HEC Climate Days
On this #SolutionsDay @COP27P, beyond the fact that the #ClimateCrisis has irreversible consequences, this report by @HECAlumni calls upon business leaders and policymakers to take #ClimateAction with decisiveness and efficiency. ? Download now ➡️ https://t.co/p2PwsyRQqH #COP27 pic.twitter.com/8JSRpEd1Vp
— HEC Paris Business School (@HECParis) November 17, 2022
In conjunction with #YouthDay @COP27P, we decided to ask our students about their top priorities and concerns, their expectations from #COP27 , and how they plan to contribution to accelerate #transition, as future #changemakers ⬇️ #ClimateAction pic.twitter.com/0faiRCj55b
— HEC Paris Business School (@HECParis) November 10, 2022
? Graduate from @IEbusiness and @LSEnews, Marie De Jouffroy D'Abbans is now at HEC Paris, in the @HECParisMasters MSc Sustainability & Social Innovation program. Here's what she has to say about #TogetherForImplementation #COP27 #YouthDay cc @HECParisSnO @jeremyghez pic.twitter.com/tTccBKZ0Ef
— HEC Paris Business School (@HECParis) November 10, 2022
? #Adaptation #LossAndDamage #Decarbonization and #Sustainability. What @HECParisMasters student Ritika Kapoor is expecting from the @COP27P cc @HECParisSnO #YouthDay #COP27 pic.twitter.com/nR3NnwI85W
— HEC Paris Business School (@HECParis) November 10, 2022
"There are limits to the extent we can adapt to #ClimateChange, and it is extremely crucial to address #adaptation plans for the entire population, especially those most vulnerable to climate-related risks." Aishwarya Karunakar, @HECParisMasters student. #YouthDay @COP27P #Cop27 pic.twitter.com/AfxuykPcht
— HEC Paris Business School (@HECParis) November 14, 2022
In conjunction with #FinanceDay #COP27 , we asked @HECParisPhD @MaximeBonelli this question: How to use innovative finance instruments to ensure access and inclusivity? His response ⬇️ cc @HECKnowledge pic.twitter.com/GhHnE71aWL
— HEC Paris Business School (@HECParis) November 9, 2022
?️ Leveraging #ClimateFinance for positive impact and #ClimateAction. Find out how in this podcast with @IShishlov @PerspectivesCC ➡️ https://t.co/rmch0JyJf4 #COP27 cc @COP27P @HECKnowledge @HECParisSnO #KnowledgeHECpodcast pic.twitter.com/Lx26NQsjtn
— HEC Paris Business School (@HECParis) November 8, 2022
As @COP27P continues with #CivilSocietyDay, this is how citizens can engage in #ClimateAction and make their voices heard, says #HECprof @alemannoEU ➡️ https://t.co/009rUZrMOR @TheGoodLobby #COP27 #CitizenLobbying #TogetherForImplementation pic.twitter.com/XLLKURKzm0
— HEC Paris Business School (@HECParis) November 15, 2022