I interviewed Mary Robinson, the former president of Ireland and global statesperson, for RBC Capital Markets’ first annual ESG Conference. As head of the Elders, a group formed by Nelson Mandela to help resolve global conflict, Robinson is focused on the climate crisis and upcoming UN summit in Glasgow. Here’s some of what she had to say:
- COVID has shown what’s needed to resolve crises:
- Collective action.
- Government.
- Science.
- Compassion.
- Historically, pandemics have caused great loss and change, but also galvanized societies. COVID has made people reassess their values and the way we’ve been living, working and consuming.
- Business innovation and private enterprise will drive the recovery. The direction of the recovery needs to be towards net-zero.
- 127 governments have a net-zero goal, covering 63% of the global economy.
- Pace is still not fast enough.
- Need to phase out coal 5x faster.
- Need to ramp up renewable energy 6x faster.
- Need to transition to EVs 22x faster.
- Public opinion is shifting.
- The U.S. elected a president with the most ambitious climate policy in history.
- Young people have stepped up, imploring us to listen to science.
- When it comes to ESG, the “S” (social impact) gets left out more than environment or governance.
- Need to see importance of a just transition, with new jobs and new training.
- We’ve learned to spend money to help those affected by COVID; we need to learn to spend money to help those affected by climate.
- We have to do a lot in a very short amount of time. We need to reduce carbon emissions by 45%.
- often tell people that everyone can do three things:
- Make the climate crisis personal.
- Get angry with those who should be doing more.
- Imagine the world we need.
You can watch the full interview here.
As Senior Vice-President, Office of the CEO, John advises the executive leadership on emerging trends in Canada’s economy, providing insights grounded in his travels across the country and around the world. His work focuses on technological change and innovation, examining how to successfully navigate the new economy so more people can thrive in the age of disruption. Prior to joining RBC, John spent nearly 25 years at the Globe and Mail, where he served as editor-in-chief, editor of Report on Business, and a foreign correspondent in New Delhi, India. Having interviewed a range of prominent world leaders and figures, including Vladimir Putin, Kofi Annan, and Benazir Bhutto, he possesses a deep understanding of national and international affairs. In the community, John serves as a Senior Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs, C.D. Howe Institute and is a member of the advisory council for both the Wilson Center’s Canada Institute and the Canadian International Council. John is the author of four books: Out of Poverty, Timbit Nation, and Mass Disruption: Thirty Years on the Front Lines of a Media Revolution and Planet Canada: How Our Expats Are Shaping the Future.
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