Join Us for Netting Zero, a Virtual Event Series on Climate Change
It is difficult right now to imagine a world after the Covid-19 crisis. As social distancing is lifted and the economy resumes, we will still be forced to face the great existential challenge of our time: the climate emergency. How can we rebuild our economies and societies in a way that recognizes the urgency of climate action? How can we face the climate emergency head-on, seeking transformative solutions for the sectors and industries that drive the bulk of our carbon emissions? These questions underlie a series of virtual events on climate, hosted by The New York Times. Many of these themes also informed our programming at , our first hybrid festival that we hosted alongside COP 26 in Glasgow. How can the fundamental systemic risk that climate change poses prompt a new kind of solution-building? How can change-makers align to develop solutions that benefit communities and industries across contexts and geographies? In this episode, our climate editor, , spoke to experts on potential pathways for organizations to reach net zero by 2050. Trade-related international freight produces a large amount of global greenhouse gas emissions, but the Covid-19 pandemic has heavily impacted trade flows. In this episode, , a Times climate reporter discussed the future of international air and shipping freight, and potential solutions for dramatically reducing the carbon footprint that results from moving goods. The Covid-19 pandemic has substantially shifted the ways in which we experience urban spaces. In an instant, high-density city centers have seen mass exodus to the suburbs as people have sought greener and larger spaces. In this episode, , the Timess London bureau chief, and experts discussed how this shift could present new opportunities for sustainable buildings and urban spaces. Net zero is an ambitious target that cannot be achieved under our current economic model. To build a truly sustainable world, we need to fundamentally redesign the economy to replace our linear approach of take, make, waste, and create a circular economy promoting sustainability by design. In this episode, , The Timess editor-at-large of DealBook, was in conversation with along with experts, decision makers and cultural icons to draw out circular solutions for resilient communities and economies. There are many links between climate change and public health, but what can technology do to address new solutions? Moderated on Earth Day by , deputy managing editor at The Times, this session looked at how the climate crisis affects our health and how technology can help us accelerate solutions for a greener and healthier future. Oceans are a crucial part of the biosphere, soaking up carbon dioxide, absorbing more than 90 percent of the excess heat trapped on Earth from carbon emissions and producing half of global oxygen. But as we continue to pump greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, the strain is taking its toll. This episode, moderated by , a Times climate reporter, analyzed how communities and governments can unlock and accelerate ocean-oriented solutions without repeating the mistakes of the past. The Covid-19 crisis collapsed demand for energy, with oil prices falling to an astonishing -$37.63 per barrel in late April. But as the world looks toward recovery, can this shock be seized to break the global addiction to fossil fuels, or will the new normal end up looking much like the old one? In this episode, , Energy Correspondent at the Times, spoke with experts as they explored how we can accelerate the rise in renewables to meet urgent global demand throughout the recovery. Traditionally, investors have had one duty: to make the greatest possible return on capital for their shareholders. Its a model thats brought us to the brink of climate disaster, and we need a new way of understanding value and returns that looks beyond the short-term and drives resources toward scalable solutions. Moderated by , a Times climate correspondent, in this episode we asked how we can fundamentally redesign financial markets to make responsible, climate-focused investing the rule rather than the exception. The food we cultivate and consume has a huge effect on climate change, with agricultural production contributing 20 percent to 30 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. If we are to achieve the international goal of net zero emissions by 2050, we must implement radical but attainable solutions, fast. How can we significantly reduce emissions across key sectors within the food system while maintaining nutritional balance and food security? Led by , international climate reporter at The Times, this episode explored how we can significantly reduce emissions across key sectors within the food system. With the clock ticking on climate change action, our speakers explored how urban climate initiatives can be taken from the experimental to the everyday. What are the winning innovations in building materials, energy and mobility that can be deployed to make cities more sustainable and accessible? Moderated by , a climate reporter at The Times, this episode explored what mind-sets, models and approaches could take city labs beyond pilot programs to the next level of systemic change. This year, to combat the coronavirus, companies adapted their production, governments poured money into technology, central banks permitted exceptional stimulus packages, and societies mobilized to shield the most vulnerable. In our first episode of Netting Zero, , The Timess climate editor, asked experts if this global shift created the blueprint for combating climate change. Netting Zero was made by Hannah Fairfield, , Sophie Lambin, Paul Samuels, Rona Perry, Joanne Perry, Mark Potter, Tess Korten, Eleanor Ripoll, Natalie Aidoo-Davies, and Troy Hyde. Special thanks to Stephen Dunbar-Johnson, John Scully, Nicole Taylor, Elizabeth Weinstein, Douglas Alteen, Nia Decaille, Kate Carrington, Holly Adams, Ela Stopford Sackville, Elaine Chen, Pascale Dauptain, and Maria Cortes-Monroy.