Recently Net Impact collaborated with Interface, Inc., the leader in design and environmentally responsible modular carpeting, to conduct an independent
Climate Take Back Survey – we asked over 400 climate experts and over 300 young business leaders questions to get their take on the relationship between business and the climate.
What we learned correlates remarkably with the data of other experts like Paul Hawken (Project Drawdown) & Al Gore (An Inconvenient Truth) – both groups overwhelmingly affirmed that they believe humans can create a stable climate, with the majority of the experts avowing that we have everything we need to get the job done. And most of the young leaders expressed confidence stemming from an unshakable belief in humanity. Both Net Impact and Interface believe that it is possible to reverse global warming and this survey confirmed the optimistic belief that we can create a climate fit for life.
| “Because the technologies that dramatically reduce carbon are tipping into becoming cheaper than conventional solutions.” |
“The limits of human endeavor are defined only by the limits of our imagination.” |
| “Collectively, we already know the right mix of policies, technologies, business practices and life style choices to make it right.” |
“Impossible is not an alternative for the planet and its species!” |
However, an overwhelming majority of emerging leaders (95%) stated that business leaders are not doing enough to reverse climate change. The most prevalent response by far: we need to raise the ambition levels within companies, and respond to climate change by driving organizations to become agents of change.
American climate experts and young leaders have the moral courage to stand with the global community in taking back the climate, and will use community activities and business to do it. Net Impact and Interface are engaging these concerned citizens in projects such as
Climate Drawdown – a Challenge where students and young professionals can compete through fun, creative events while educating their peers about climate change and solutions. Project Drawdown has identified the 100 most substantive solutions to reverse global warming - ranging from clean energy to educating girls in lower-income countries to land use practices that pull carbon out of the air. These measures promise cascading benefits to human health, security, prosperity, and well-being - giving us every reason to see this planetary crisis as an opportunity to create a just and livable world.
The data are in – people are ready for fundamental change in public response to climate change; business and entrepreneurs will not wait for a nod from the government to move forward on climate initiatives and comply with The Paris Agreement. Over 90% of the respondents surveyed believe, while acknowledging that it will be difficult, they can take back their climate and make climate fit for life. We are ready to go beyond mitigating the harm, and start creating a livable, sustainable climate.
Interface has developed a Climate Take Back report which you can download
here or review the Net Impact
infographic for a snapshot of what young, emerging business leaders are saying.
Take action on climate change! Implement solutions locally and imagine new businesses and products to bring solutions to scale in Net Impact's Project Drawdown Program.