Takeaways from The VERGE Net Zero Gathering

By Jessica Stoll, Operations and Member Coordinator, WSBC

Just as it sounds, this event was all about the transition to Net Zero (zero GHG emissions).

Hosted by GreenBiz, we heard from leaders from ALL over the world—from the U.S. to South Africa to Singapore about ways to achieve this necessary goal. The topics were organized into three tracks, 1) Net Zero Measure 2) New Zero Reduce 3) Net Zero Offset. The diversity of subjects included:

The possibilities of the carbon offset market
Using the natural capabilities of shorelines to power drawdown
How young students are using their voices to empower change
Using supply chain partnerships to cut scope three emissions
How municipalities are working to fully electrify their operations

The biggest theme from this event was that net-zero is a global effort, and with any global task, we need work from every community. The hosts note that:

“Companies across business sectors and regions have now heard the call: To safeguard our climate, every organization must dramatically reduce its carbon footprint. Thousands of companies are doing so, with more joining every month. Those involved know that net-zero is easy to say, hard to do. The transition will be fraught with operational challenges and reputational risks — but it will also lead to new partnerships, products, and profits” (source here).

One key idea that resonated with me as I listened to the conference was that many small- to mid-sized manufacturers are entering the net-zero space. One speaker explained that even though SMEs likely have smaller footprints than large manufacturers, their work to net-zero can be just as challenging. This is why I am excited and inspired by the SMEs that WSBC works with; they are paving the way and setting an example for other WI companies to reach net zero. Gatherings like this and the work that WSBC does gives me hope that a net-zero future is possible and underway!

Want to learn more about the topics mentioned here? I encourage you to check out our webinar series with the Nelson Institute: