Public-private partnerships "vital" to advancing decarbonization
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DAVOS, SWITZERLAND – While governments address climate-related policy goals, the private sector must move to achieve emissions reduction, several leaders said.
Why it matters: Companies and governments are making some progress toward ambitious goals to reduce emissions by 2050 — but the latest UN climate report shows the world is falling short.
Axios' Alison Snyder moderated conversations with Johnson Controls VP and chief sustainability and external relations officer Katie McGinty and World Economic Forum head of climate Pedro Gomez. The Jan. 20 conversations were sponsored by United States Steel Corporation.
What they're saying: "I think when we all think about climate and climate action, we go immediately to solar, wind, electric vehicles," McGinty said.
- However, there's a need to decarbonize buildings, she said. "Buildings represent actually 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions."
- McGinty called improving efficiency, electrification and digitalization the "trifecta" to decarbonizing buildings, noting that "the real revolution coming to buildings is in data and digital."
What we're watching: How public-private partnerships advance decarbonization goals in the Trump administration.
- "This is a team sport, so it's not only about the private sector. It's not only about the governments. iI's not only about us as end consumers, we all need to be playing together," Gomez said.
- "I just want to validate that public-private partnership is absolutely vital," McGinty added.
Sponsored content:
In a View From the Top sponsored discussion, United States Steel Corporation head of sustainability Erika Chan said that ESG is "very much a business imperative."
- "It's very much a part of our strategy, because we think about the market opportunity in a greener economy, we think about clean tech, solar, we think about electric vehicles, we think about also a more resilient supply chain and infrastructure, so all of that kind of comes together," Chan said.
