How can we achieve net-zero emissions? It's the trillion-dollar question governments, corporations, and the public often ask while weighing the pros and cons of any green initiatives.
Build wind farms and you need excessive land. Accelerate EV production and batteries requires lithium-ion mining. Integrate carbon capture into power plants and you’re still promoting fossil fuel use. No matter what direction our planet takes, hitting net zero isn’t proving easy.
This is without mentioning the economic costs, geopolitical trade wars, or divides between the public and private sectors that exacerbate matters more.
The truth is, achieving net-zero desperately requires thought leadership, among the green industries, political powers, and global communities, to help navigate these complex challenges, align priorities, and drive innovative solutions with transparency and collaboration.
We saw how a collective spirit defied the odds to produce and distribute a Covid-19 vaccine. Why can’t we repeat similar efforts gain?
Perhaps when the global financial system and quality of life are more directly threatened in years to come, we will. But as scientists have already warned, this will be far too late.
Action must come now, and world leaders must be more vocal about it.
Nearly every company today incorporates thought leadership into its daily routines. Why? 3 in 5 decision-makers say it's more trustworthy than marketing when judging a business.
This is because thought leadership does more than serve a company’s best interests. Usually coming from an executive, it educates stakeholders, and drives industry direction.
Concerning sustainability, this is essential. It’s currently the hot topic of the century, with policy, regulation, and the general uptake of sustainable practices shifting all the time.
As soon as leaders shy away from the spotlight, they and their businesses immediately become irrelevant.
That’s why leaders must leverage their influence and expertise to drive meaningful conversations needed to make net zero possible and iron out any deficiencies.
It’s not only business leaders across the green industries that should become thought leaders. But the academics and scientists who discover breakthroughs, the engineers who are in the field day-to-day, and the investors who fund the transition to a clean economy, among many others.
These individuals can massively benefit their careers as well as support net-zero targets. So, it's in their best interests to step out into the spotlight.
As initially mentioned, the many green initiatives we need to achieve net zero have their trade-offs. Because of this, they also have strong oppositions that hinder their development.
Farmers oppose wind farms. They want to protect their land amid growing stakeholder pressures.
NGOs detest EV production. Lithium-ion mining not only produces emissions but violates human rights in less developed regions.
Politicians view carbon capture as a gimmick. It effectively keeps fossil fuel in business and requires excessive power.
Leaders must overcome these challenges by addressing the anxieties different groups share and improving their relationships.
In the case of farmers, wind energy thought leaders must stress how wind farms accelerate crop growth and reduce frost risk while promising revenue through land leases.
In the case of NGOs, EV thought leaders must campaign for less environmentally invasive methods of material extraction and new policies to protect labor workers.
In the case of politicians, carbon capture leaders must spotlight how the technology reduces 95 percent of CO2 emissions to improve confidence and support.
This, most likely, won’t improve the uptake of green initiatives immediately. But it will, at least, help leaders stand apart from others who aren’t as transparent, recognised, or trusted.
According to estimates, it will cost around $3.5 trillion a year in global capital to build a net-zero economy by 2050.
Looking at these figures, it’s easy to see why 170 countries recently failed to submit their updated net-zero goals on time. Budgeting for net zero requires sacrifices that economies are unwilling to make.
For instance, clean energy infrastructure requires a heavy initial investment that many would argue could be directed to other crucial causes like healthcare.
Meanwhile, shutting down coal, oil, and gas factories naturally displace workers while clashing with the goals of developing countries such as Brazil, India, and South Africa.
However, the cost of inaction is far greater.
Extreme weather, like the recent California wildfires.
Greater health issues, caused by fossil fuel pollution.
Higher insurance costs for citizens.
Mass migration, driven by global displacement.
Leaders must hammer home these realities in the media, events, and across social media to shift the perception of net zero as a “sacrifice” to a “future-proofed global economy”.
Besides, net zero can also drive significant returns. For instance, renewable energy is already the cheapest source of energy globally. With further innovation, the benefits multiply considerably.
At the same time, leaders must take personal responsibility for achieving net zero rather than simply advising governments.
Initiatives like risk-sharing models, blended finance, and green bonds exist for a reason. So, there's no reason why leaders can't motivate their peers to foot the $3.5 trillion a year bill.
More practically, and on a much smaller scale, leaders can also use thought leadership to highlight how green initiatives can be made as cost-effective as possible.
For instance, scientists might advocate for AI investment to decarbonise supply chains, buildings, and factories, through more efficient lighting, heating, and cooling systems.
Geopolitical tensions are impacting sustainability significantly, both in terms of undermining current efforts and hindering the uptake of green initiatives.
The Russia-Ukraine conflict has created mass emissions over the last two years, with much more bound to be produced in the coming years to repair damages.
The US and China's trade war has left the largest exporter of renewable energy facing significant tariffs in its largest market. This is bound to slow the transition to clean energy rather than boost manufacturing in the US as hoped.
While we normally advise leaders to avoid discussing sensitive topics, since these situations directly impact businesses, leaders must recognise them.
Otherwise, stakeholder anxieties will persist, and financial performance will be threatened.
For instance, in terms of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, leaders might actively discuss ways to strengthen supply chains or, concerning the US-China trade war, transparently outline why new tariffs might have led to higher prices for the end consumer to protect their business.
The public and private sectors are often divided on net zero initiatives, with one focused on the long-term benefit of the people and the other on favouring short-term profits.
As a result, new regulations and policies are nearly always delayed by lobbying, prolonging the impact of the planet’s most destructive industries.
Quite often, the reluctance to embrace complex policies is born from the idea that all policies are inherently bad, with many leaders unable to grasp what they mean.
This is where thought leadership from politicians, green leaders, and beyond, is needed to show how policies align with business goals to improve private sector buy-in.
Otherwise, more abrupt policies will cause further frustration later on and ambitious climate action won’t be possible.
Becoming a more sustainable business often means that you naturally benefit from more customers, investors, and better talent, while appeasing regulators.
Because of these benefits, many leaders make the grave mistake of exploiting sustainability messaging without real action.
However, these businesses only risk eroding public trust and hefty fines if found lying when investigated. The bigger the company, the more likely its scandal will make front-page news.
Worse still, greenwashing can undermine the credibility of an entire industry, making it harder for genuinely sustainable businesses to differentiate themselves, slowing the collective push toward net zero.
This is why thought leaders must call out greenwashing at any opportunity to set clear standards for driving change and show audiences that they genuinely care.
Unlike other industries that can quickly limit or replace fossil fuels, the aviation industry struggles with the costs of doing so.
It needs desperately leaders who can tax incentives and public-private partnerships to scale sustainable fuel production and develop alternative propulsion technologies.
With more transparency, leaders can also ensure that regulators and policymakers better align their expectations and establish a more realistic transformation timeline.
Right now, the aviation industry accounts for just 2.5% of global emissions. So, even while its impact is significant, it isn’t as much a threat to net zero as other industries.
Global shipping is mainly powered by heavy oil, with hydrogen and ammonia solutions still in early development.
Other than catalysing investment in these technologies, leaders need to foster accountability and collaboration across the sector, including shipping companies, energy providers, and governing bodies, to share knowledge, pool resources, and create unified standards for cleaner maritime operations.
With this approach, leaders avoid shying away from sustainability entirely and commit to making improvements where possible, significantly improving stakeholder trust.
The industrial industry comprises steel, chemicals, and cement firms, all of which remain some of the greatest contributors to CO2 emissions.
It’s very likely that as net zero commitments intensify, many of the businesses operating within the industry will slowly be phased out if they are unable to transition to hydrogen-based steel, net zero cement, and carbon capture technology.
Of course, this puts leaders across the industry in a difficult position. They can either resist change through lobbying or look at how decarbonisation can be made possible.
At the moment, less than 5% of green energy investments go to the industrial industry, with renewable energies and EVs dominating, as they have for years. It’s because of this domination that these technologies are now mainstream, adopted by both corporations and consumers.
If the industrial industry is to become greener, leaders must highlight this discrepancy.
To its merit, the UK has set out to become a world leader in carbon capture, having committed £21.7bn in investment over the next 25 years. It’s time for other nations to follow suit.
It often goes under the radar, but agriculture is responsible for as much as 30% of C02 emissions, caused by livestock, fertilisers, and deforestation for land.
As the global population rises with food scarcity, so will the industry's impact as farms expand.
Agritech has long been touted as the solution to this problem with the likes of vertical farming receiving significant VC funding.
However, many more experimental technologies remain in their early stages, with the industry facing a significant backlog of innovations waiting to be commercialised.
Agriculture thought leaders need to solve this problem.
They must campaign to streamline agritech regulation.
Spotlight how agritech works to drive interest from investors.
Educate farmers to create greater demand.
With the industry significantly lacking thought leaders, there's a huge opportunity to stand out.
Last year, the ten most sustainable companies comprised seven different industries, highlighting how sustainability-driven innovation truly is possible across the board.
With the right commitment, creativity, and collaboration, any business can play a part in making net zero possible.
Thought leaders must embrace this message and actively communicate it to their audiences to unite their stakeholders to better the planet.
To strike a chord with audiences in the media and across social media, there are several things to keep in mind.
Have a distinct message. Without this, you won't generate any interest and you'll fail to set yourself apart.
Go against the grain. Make a prediction or hot-take that turns heads and moves the conversation on a pressing issue forward to improve your media coverage prospects.
Leverage anecdotes. As with any story, having a personal touch can work wonders by improving how well people resonate with your ideas.
Use relevant data. Sustainability issues are ever-evolving. You need to substantiate any points you make or risk making false claims that aren't taken seriously.
Prioritise visual media. High-quality video and photo content can be used for social media posts and media opportunities to show you are an authentic professional.
Don't overpost. No matter your eagerness, this will dilute your messaging and irritate audiences. So, post no more than 3 times a week to avoid appearing tokenistic.
Target the right journalists. Without setting aside the time to research, you risk ruining crucial media relationships you could benefit from for the foreseeable future.
Master your media pitch. No matter the size of the publication, a good pitch can work wonders. Keep it short, punchy, informative, and easy to grasp within a minute.
With these basic principles, you can set yourself apart and drive action, while improving your career prospects and accelerating your organisation's growth.