ROBERT CONNELL: “I do not see the transition from the current economic system as an effective or timely measure to stop the climate crisis”

To meet the upcoming SEMPL conferencewhich will be held on November 14 and 15 in Portorož, we spoke with Robert Connell, the company’s Commercial Sustainability Manager ClimatePartnerAustria, who will hold a lecture on the second day of the SEMPL conference… The interview was conducted by Nenad Danilović, editor-in-chief of Advertiser Serbia

Dear Robert, I would like you to start by presenting the content of your lecture that you will give at the upcoming SEMPL Conference

– At a time when climate action is needed more than ever, companies have the logistical and economic leverage to steer the world towards solutions to this global challenge. Whether intrinsic motivation, competitive advantage, customer demands or regulatory requirements drive a company’s motivation to measure and reduce its climate impact, there is an equal societal appetite to do so accurately and credibly, in order to avoid the “greenwashing” label that he fears a lot.

My presentation “Communicating Climate Action: Trust, Transparency and Traceability” offers insight into the challenges and solutions of accurate, credible and engaging corporate climate action communication.

From detecting carbon emissions, to setting decarbonisation targets, to investing in much-needed climate projects, each requires an equal measure of determination, trust and accuracy if engagement, action and, ultimately, change in the face of the climate crisis is to be achieved.

What kind of audience would you like to have at your lecture at the upcoming SEMPL conference?

– I hope that the audience, regardless of the role each individual plays in my presentation, will approach the topic of climate change and climate action with seriousness, but also with hope, empowerment and interest.

Often the topic of climate action is seen as a cost to companies, I hope the audience will approach this topic with an open mind to also understand the value behind taking climate action (beyond the moral obligation to play our part in keeping this world livable for our many generations children who will inherit it from us).

Which global companies do you think have the most developed climate actions? Is any global company considered a good example of how to respond to the challenges of climate change?

– I believe that I would do injustice to many companies by mentioning only a few here, and leaving out many that are making very significant steps in climate actions.

One important factor I look for when talking to companies to claim they are industry leaders for climate action is to check if they have committed to the Science-Based Goals Initiative (Science Based Targets Initiative). This is a public, transparent and structured commitment to achieving the scientifically recognized Net Zero goal. This is a long-term and highly ambitious process undertaken by companies leading climate action.

The company I work for, ClimatePartneralso has a certified label that signals an accurate calculation of company or product emissions and a significant commitment to reducing them in the long term.

We offer this label to clients to place on their products to communicate to their clients, whether in the B2B or B2C sector.

Which industry and which companies are most interested in using your consulting services?

– ClimatePartner has helped companies to calculate and reduce the emissions of their companies and products since 2006, with 600 experts and around 7000 customers. These are some of the biggest and most recognizable brands as well as small businesses made up of one or two people. We are very happy to support companies in all sectors and of all sizes.

Larger companies now take up most of our time, as EU regulations such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive – CSRD), make a request to large companies about thousands of points that they have to report on sustainability, many of which are our specialty: climate action

Is capitalism capable of saving the planet from climate change? You know, capitalism as a system is based on the idea of ​​constant growth of profits from year to year, which requires constant growth of sales and that entails a large production (hyper production?) of goods…and this is what greatly disrupts climate stability on the planet

– I often think about this question. It is undeniable that capitalism initially enabled the progress towards industrialization and the continued expansion of our use of natural resources, such as fossil fuels, which in turn pollutes our atmosphere more and more every year.

However, I personally do not see the transition from the current economic system as an effective or timely measure to stop the climate crisis. Instead, we have to work with the economic system that we have to enable climate action. Capitalism has given birth to large, powerful organizations with enormous capital and logistical capacities.

I hope that when the consequences of climate change become sufficiently visible, this created power of capitalism will be used, along with changes in behavior and legislation, to stop and reverse the challenge we face.

Have you by any chance studied Nikola Tesla’s ideas about abandoning the use of fossil fuels in the absolute sense?

– I really appreciate the visions Nikola Tesla. We see some of his visions becoming reality today. The transition to renewable energy is happening, and faster than we think. There are countries in the European power grid, especially in Central and Western Europe, that are almost exclusively renewable for weeks in the summer.

Personal mobility – most importantly, cars – is also increasingly electrified, with a very high efficiency ratio between energy input and output. I have no doubt that this efficiency will continue to grow and the technology will become cheaper, convincing many more individuals in the future to make the switch to electric mobility on economic grounds, regardless of their views on the climate.

You have come to our region at the right time, perhaps your help is welcome. Namely, for the last few years, the social and political scene has been shaken by a fever of conflict between environmental activists, on the one hand, and political authorities, on the other. The subject of the conflict is the opening of a lithium mine by Rio Tinto. In short, the political structures insist that the mine be opened with great pressure from Germany, while the residents of the area where the mine should be opened are ready for physical conflicts to prevent the opening of the lithium mine. By the wayaccording to all public opinion surveys, the majority of the citizens of the Republic of Serbia do not want the opening of the well because they believe that the whole of Serbia will be poisoned through watercourses, from west to east, including the city of Belgrade, which has close to 2 million inhabitants. What do you think about all this?

– Ecological solutions sometimes introduce their own ecological challenges. The example of the opening of a lithium mine in Serbia is a suitable example. Lithium is a vital element for the production of lithium-ion batteries, critical for the clean energy transition and the path to a low-carbon society. However, the extraction of lithium should be done in a way that does not cause the leakage of pollutants into the environmental system.

Engaging with local residents, listening to their concerns and providing assurances from project promoters to ensure that these are taken into account is key to winning over the population. I hope that the decision, regardless of the outcome, puts people at the center.

Do you have information on which countries are leading the way in terms of climate action?

– The EU has set very ambitious plans and regulations with its “Fit for 55”, which aims to reduce greenhouse gases by 55% by 2030 compared to the 1990 baseline. This introduced a large number of legally binding agreements, such as the European Green Deal, which takes decisive measures to reduce emissions from the bloc.

However, it must also be said that no country on Earth is currently on track to meet the Nationally Determined Contributions (Nationally Determined Commitments), which is the obligation of each country to reduce its greenhouse gases in order to limit warming by 2100 to 1.5 °C or well below 2 °C as agreed in the Paris Agreement (Paris Agreement) from 2015. We are currently on a warming path of over 3 °C and 2024 will be the hottest year on record.

What is your overall opinion of the SEMPL Conference? What do you expect from this year’s edition, in which you will also participate?

– I am attending for the first time, but looking at the variety of speakers, I am sure that this event will be very informative and inspiring. I feel privileged to have the opportunity to be among so many great speakers.

The subject of SEMPL is “The Age of Impatience”. I believe that this corresponds very well with the current climate crisis. We need swift meaningful action and many people are asking governments, businesses and other powerful actors to support their own behavioral changes to make our planet a better place to live.

Invite potential visitors to attend this year’s SEMPL conference

– I kindly invite everyone interested in the power of communication and marketing, in shaping an ethical and sustainable future, to join the conference!

Dear Robert, thank you for your time and effort… We wish you and your team much success in your future work!

– Thank you!

Author: Nenad Danilović
Izvor: Advertiser Serbia