Agenda
Keynote address from our Hosts and a special guest to welcome you to the first physical Net Zero Festival
Kick starting our "Net Zero Festival Acts" , we will be featuring Politics at the centre of the playlist.
As host of COP26, the UK Government set itself as one of the leading voices championing a transition to Net Zero by 2050. Almost one year on from COP26, how are our politics shaping the transition? Can we strongly argue that our policies are topping the global Net Zero charts?
Keynote speaker .. Coming soon
The biggest threat humanity has ever faced? The Climate Crisis
With constant reports emerging on the perils we are to face, we will be sitting down with Sir David King, and running through how bad it will get if we do not start to take action now, and start doing this Faster. Together
Our First "Group Act" of the day, and as the King of Rock said, are we ready for "A Little Less Conversation, A Little More Action"?
Our first panel of the day will see senior leaders from businesses who are ready to vouch that the time of talking and making pledges is behind us. We are in the Age of Action
"Finance without strategy is just numbers, and strategy without finance is just dreaming" E.Faber
COP26 signalled that “Private Finance has woken up” to the climate crisis. Net Zero and Climate Change are now recognised at the Board Level and by Chief Executives in Financial Institutions. If every company, bank, asset manager, insurer and investor adjusts their business models, develops credible plans for the transition to a low-carbon, climate resilient future and then implements those plans, we are set for an unprecedent time of fast-paced changes to the way we historically think of Finance.
Welcome to the Green Finance Revolution.
"Sport, it has millions of followers. No business has millions of followers in the way that sport does. No government has the attention of millions of followers in the way that sport has. So it's a massive role that sport has to play there" Nico Roseberg
Historically, when you hear the term “motorsport” the last thing on people’s mind would be the term “Net Zero”. However, in recent years, Formula E became the first sport to have a net zero carbon footprint since inception, and they recently launched a new series called Extreme E, with the objective of using electric racing to highlight remote environments under threat of climate change issues.
With sport being a pillar of society and culture, we will hear about how one of the leading sports and its athletes are using their platforms, shifting perspectives, and engaging the public with Net Zero.
Keynote speaker .. Coming soon
"We learn from history that we don't learn from history" - Desmund Tutu
As citizens of the 21st century we have to deal with overturning centuries of polluting our planet, and a high prospect of destroying our chances of a future. It does seem reasonable to be angry at our ancestors for the mess they have left us in. However, history can also be a great tool to understand how we may be able to overcome this obstacle too. After all, they do say that in order to create our future, we must understand our past.
"Our government rests in public opinion. Whoever can change public opinion, can change the government, practically just so much." Abraham Lincoln
Recent extreme weather events have been influencing people to act on climate change. However, there is still a significant awareness-action gap, and when action is taken, it can get demonised as "ecoterrorism" and rejected by the wider public. If we are to get to Net Zero, we must also utilise the power and strength of public support to accelerate the change needed. In order to do this, we must understand what our citizens currently think of the climate crisis, and how we can communicate and harness public support by empowering our citizens.
"Activism is my rent for living on the planet" - Alice Walker
2050 Net Zero targets seem far away to most, but for the younger generations, it is still within the grasp of their working adult future. To them, the targets and actions taken now are a way of creating hope to save their future. With young people becoming the future workforce, how can we guarantee their voices are heard at the centre of strategic opportunities and challenges of building sustainable democracies?
"I'm worried on greenwashing. I think we should come down on it very, very hard, whether it's with criminal intent or actively deceptive" - John Elkington
Over the past three decades, just five major oil companies have spent at least $3.6bn (£2.5bn) on ads specifically to rebrand themselves as part of the solution to the climate crisis.
Whilst business action on sustainability, especially climate, continues to accelerate, so have carbon emissions. All of the huge commitments, policies and programs of thousands of businesses haven’t flattened the climate curve. To make a solution, you've first got to admit that you're part of the problem. Maybe then we can start disentangling green from greenwashing, before it downfalls over all achievements made during the transition
Main Stage
Is Net Zero really the end of the line or is there scope to push the agenda one step further? Some would argue there is, and in comes Net Positive. This new way of doing business vouches for putting back more into society, the environment and the global economy than it takes out. Organisations that take a Net Positive approach share an ambition to grow their brand, have strong financial performance and attract the brightest talent. If this sounds like something you would like for your organisation, hear just how you might be able to achieve it.
"People are hungry for messages of hope and life. What are you broadcasting?" - Morgan Brittany
If we are to create a Net Zero society, broadcasters inherently have a crucial role to play. In comes COP26, and the birth of the Climate Content Pledge, where key UK broadcasters committed to using their content to help audiences understand what tackling climate change might mean for them, as well as inspire and inform sustainable choices. Join us as we dig into behind the screens, and get the inside scoop on how they are trying to support the transition.
"Eliminate the very concept of waste, not reduce, minimize or avoid waste, but eliminate the very concept by design" - Prof. Michael Braungart
Action on packaging has never been more critical in the fight against plastic waste. With plastic being involved in almost all products we touch on a day to day basis, how do we break the system we are used to and achieve a truly circular model?
"Ad campaigns are necessary for competition. But good PR educates people; that's all it is" - Steve Jobs
If we are to tackle climate change, then the role of great campaigning will be crucial in achieving this. Join our session to hear and see from some of the best campaigns who have truly used the art of marketing to transform and send clear messages.
Workshop Stream 1
During the BusinessGreen's Net Zero Finance 2022 Conference, we heard from CISL on their guide to bank-client engagement, which serves to help the finance sector to have more meaningful dialogue with corporates about climate action. We welcome all small and medium sized enterprises to join us during this workshop to dialogue on how banks can better work with you to support you during your decarbonisation journeys.
Please note workshops have limited availability. They are designed to connect you with your peers, interact, and brainstorm solutions to key challenges you face. Please make sure to register your interest if you wish to take part
Join this workshop led by Bankers for NetZero's team to find out just how you can accomplish this
The shift to a green economy will create green jobs within new and emerging sectors, while those working in existing sectors will have to gain the requisite green skills to take advantage of business sustainability. Given this, how do we get the public to understand and grow awareness of green jobs? Which internal departments could do with being upskilled and reskilled with green skills? What are some of the main challenges? And most importantly, how can we equip teams within our organisations with green skills?
Join this workshop led by IEMA's team to find out just how you can accomplish this
Please note workshops have limited availability. They are designed to connect you with your peers, interact, and brainstorm solutions to key challenges you face. Please make sure to register your interest if you wish to take part
Workshop Stream 2
Scope 3, or in other words, the heads of sustainability's current puzzle to break through.
In this workshop ran by Schneider Electric, they will be using their own story as well as their expertise to help our senior sustainability audience tackle Scope 3. They will unravel how you can go about engaging and working with your supply chain, in order to start overcoming some of those scope 3 emissions and give you the tools to start scaling up your organisation's Net Zero journey.
Join this workshop led by Schneider Electric's team to find out just how you can accomplish this
Please note workshops have limited availability. They are designed to connect you with your peers, interact, and brainstorm solutions to key challenges you face. Please make sure to register your interest if you wish to take part
The awaited agreement on the rules for international trading of carbon credits (article 6) is set to boost credibility of carbon credit trading schemes. This should translate into the development of more carbon projects as well as more demand for the credits that are generated from them.
However, with offsets and credibility becoming more and more intertwined during discussions, how can you guarantee your carbon offsets are credible and ensure your negative emission projects really deliver?
Please note workshops have limited availability. They are designed to connect you with your peers, interact, and brainstorm solutions to key challenges you face. Please make sure to register your interest if you wish to take part
Workshop Stream 3
Switching to a Fleet EV is at the forefront of many organisations planning to tackle their emissions in the present. Join this workshop if you are one of these organisations and want to understand how you can accelerate your transition and get your EVs on the road.
Please note workshops have limited availability. They are designed to connect you with your peers, interact, and brainstorm solutions to key challenges you face. Please make sure to register your interest if you wish to take part
Lobbying by companies on climate change can have a significant positive or negative impact on the stringency and effectiveness of public climate policy – policies that are directly concerned with climate change and policies that may impact on climate change, such as fiscal or energy policy. Join this webinar if your company is searching for the best ways to engage with policymakers, and to ensure your voice is heard and understood. Policy needs to become an enabler and not a barrier in accelerating the Net Zero progress.
Please note workshops have limited availability. They are designed to connect you with your peers, interact, and brainstorm solutions to key challenges you face. Please make sure to register your interest if you wish to take part
Main Stage
Who said climate change can only be communicated through a "doom and gloom" lens? Matt will be performing excerpts from his comedy shows, described as storytelling lectures, where he combines comedy and environmental economics in an attempt to encourage us all to help save the planet, as well as, inspire us to think outside the box when it comes to different ways of communicating our message.
3, 2, 1..... Silence please.... and we are LIVE!
To close off the day, we will have the hosts and special guest of the podcast Outrage + Optimism join us on the Net Zero Festival Main Stage.
Outrage + Optimism cover the latest news from science, business, finance politics and culture every Thursday with a can-do attitude. Their energetic hosts Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac and Paul Dickinson, and their brilliant guests share expert opinions along with healthy doses of both outrage and optimism that will leave you feeling informed and energised.
