Leila Toplic

Want the latest update on climate science? Listen to this brilliant podcast with Stefan Rahmstorf from PIK - Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. The facts might not be news for climate enthusiasts, but they are sobering. *Did you know that excess rainfall, often caused by warmer air, is a result of the air holding more water vapor at higher temperatures? The relationship between temperature and water vapor was described back in 1834 in the Clausius Clapeyron law. It's not a linear progression; at 1C warming, the air can hold 7% more water vapor, increasing further with each degree. Brace for wetter times ahead, especially up North! *The current geological period, "the holocene," is an exceptionally long interglacial due to a unique orbital configuration. Humanity could enjoy a stable climate for tens of thousands of years if we don't disrupt it - but we are. The irony and tragedy of this situation are evident. Listen, learn, and take action! #phaseoutfossilfuelsnow https://lnkd.in/dHR9HSKu

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Not just global decarbonization but climate adaptation efforts need to ramp up rapidly, as this study predicts that ALREADY largely inevitable climate change impacts from temperature increases will cut 2050 global GDP by 20%, and when all impacts are considered by 50%! Wish the findings had been available when I gave this talk: https://lnkd.in/eUBZuawu

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What is the #education background best suited for learning to do #LCA's? And is it better to teach someone in your team or to hire an expert or consultant? I got this good question today and provided a long answer... so I decided I share that also in a post to everyone: Q: "I would like your opinion about the educational background best suited for LCA training? I assume chemistry or chemical engineering degrees are best. If a small company needed an LCA performed, would it be better to train a person with limited science or hire a company or person who is experienced? Thank you in advance." A: The educational background is actually not so important. What matters the most is that the person is good with data and numbers and is capable of learning slightly difficult topics in an academic (english) language. So in that sense it is important that the person has done some university studies, a bachelor's degree is enough I would say. So an R&D engineer could be a very good candidate to get trained. If your company is in the chemical industry then a chemical engineer would be good. It helps a lot if the person doing an LCA understands your business in terms of processes, materials, value chain etc. Whether you want to hire an experienced person or consultant or train someone depends on your needs. If you want to do just one or very few LCA's just to get an LCA document done, then a consultant is the easiest choice. Note however that a lot of involvement from your own personnel will anyway be needed, to help with data collection, understanding processes etc. If you want to do many LCA's and use them also for internal decision making and development purposes, then I highly recommend getting LCA competence to your company. If you train someone, you will have a person you know already, who presumably understands your business and who can do some LCA work when needed - quite often it will not be a full time job. You can do some quick and dity screening LCA's for fast decisions or you can do full scale LCA's for external communication purposes. You can also easily simulate the impact of potential changes to your products design or business model, make updates when things change etc, so you will get more insights and save a lot on consulting fees. ...one more thing: Before communicating an LCA externally, it should be critically reviewed by a third party, regardless if it was made in-house or by a consultant. I actually made a blog post about this topic some time back

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🤔 Join dozens of climate change professionals in answering three important questions about what are we most interested in within our profession. 1️⃣ What are we most interested in? 2️⃣ What do we want to know more about? 3️⃣ What would we want other professionals (new and old) to know more about? 🙋🏻‍♀️ Please do participate in this survey, it will only take 3-minutes of your time, and you may be surprised by the results of everyone else! Answer here: https://lnkd.in/dxAHhSXx This survey is sponsored by GH Sustainability, and the consolidated overall results will be shared on LinkedIn in the future (e.g. GH Sustainability's page). #climatechange #climateaction #sustainability #parisagreement

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Not every job is a climate job This nuance is something we’re starting to discover as we speak to experts and research the future of the Climate Workforce Actually, we need to focus on a skills-based approach Efrem Bycer from LinkedIn shares a skills-based approach to hiring on the Impact Podcast - here are my takeaways 👇 First, what are green skills? Green skills are the skills within a job that are kind of focused on a sustainability effort, could be related to things like disaster mitigation, climate or carbon reduction, could be related to waste reduction, could be related to water, even public health We’ve heard at least 270,000 jobs that have been announced by corporations after the IRA was released, but these jobs haven’t actually been posted yet Why are skills based approaches to hiring and talent development are essential to meeting the demand? Because these jobs are new and growing, you can’t rely on people who’ve done the work before Only 1 in 8 workers has a green skill, but when we think about how the whole economy has to change, we need to increase that number significantly The way that most people are going to learn green skills, are to do their current job at their current company in a more green, greener, more sustainable way For example, if you want to learn about product design, sustainable design practices, how do you think about building circularity into the way you design a product from the very beginning? In another example, the Solar consultant job on LinkedIn, is a job that a lot of people get without having ANY green skills Why? This requires project management skills, sales skills and essentially a Solar Consultant does consultative skills We are seeing that jobs are changing, for example, between 2015 and 2030, we anticipate that the average job will see a 65% turnover in skills And this is being driven by digitization, AI and the Green Transition ~~~~~~~~ Interested in more insights on the Future of the Climate Workforce? For early access to our whitepaper, sign up to our newsletter to get the latest - links (to the whitepaper, and to the podcast) in the comments

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Now available in e-book and hardcover, "Proven Climate Solutions: Leading Voices on How to Accelerate Change". I was honored to contribute a chapter beside luminaries such as Mark Jacobson, Kate Gaertner, Robert Howarth, Luxmy Begum, Ph.D., P.Eng., PMP and Bill McKibben. "Fifteen climate experts combine forces to present a plan for slowing and ultimately preventing further destruction to our planet. As governments and businesses continue to set climate goals for reducing carbon emissions and slowing global warming, scientists, engineers, and policymakers are using cutting-edge research to introduce new climate technologies and strategies for achieving and potentially surpassing these goals. Presented by world-leading climate scientists and futurists, Proven Climate Solutions offers a dynamic, evidence-based action plan that uncovers the hard work, dedication, and best practices of climate heroes who are accelerating change and winning the battle to protect our environment." https://lnkd.in/gpkvwwvg

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Could Article 12 of the Paris Agreement unlock EVERYTHING? ⚡️Here at #COP28 I’m going all in on climate storytelling and public engagement ⚡️ Imagine what’s possible with a public mandate? With billions of people desperate for the benefits of sustainability? Everyone demanding solutions? Read my new op-ed on Article 12 and how governments could power up solutions storytelling. https://lnkd.in/eeHfN8DA

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AI vs Sustainability. Or AI x Sustainability. Or both? Definitely a 'hot topic' (see what I did there 🥵) and super interesting to hear Geneva List Columbia University share a review of the landscape for AI and climate. A few musings in advance of you reading the full article (linked below) 🌲 there are many ways that AI is already being applied to optimize and accelerate solutions, and it's happening across industries - a few examples include precision agriculture using predictive analytics on consumption to reduce overproduction and waste, real time monitoring and intervention for nature restoration and species conservation and associated credits, optimizing efficiency and hence material and energy use in industry and transportation 🧊 learned that ChatGPT is out here drinking a glass of water each time it has a conversation (data center cooling is a large part of this, but there is much being done - with the help of AI - to increase efficiencies as well and leverage built environment sustainability opportunities in construction, management and decommission that will aid footprint reduction) 🙋 there are also other ethics/inclusion/equity/governance considerations that we may hear less about that impact the sustainability of AI like the definition of value is applied through a particular lens from countries that have the means to produce and access AI capability, ownership of IP where much of the data particularly in credit and restoration may be from the global South but managed in the North, how is accountability managed for potential negative impacts stemming from AI like geo-engineering? Full report https://lnkd.in/g4pjJ94A

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I've been tracking climate science since the 1980s. The most dangerous thing about it is those smooth curves, with their 10th and 90th centiles spreading gracefully around them. They imply a gradual, predictable process, and that we are somehow in control. Ask anyone British if the weather is predictable and they'll laugh. And when you approach it from a risk management perspective, the question isn't "what's likely, what is the 10th-90th centile?", it's "What is the worst that can happen?" This article is deeply disturbing, because the worst that can happen is very bad indeed, and is much closer than anyone expected, because (as seems to be the case too often) the statistical "fat tail" is fatter than predicted. Also because ocean plastic pollution acts as a threat multiplier. The best paragraph is saved 'till last: “We think of climate change as being this kind of fairly steady progression of change in average conditions,” he said. “I think that we’ve learned, even since 2022, that there are also big changes in extreme events.” https://buff.ly/49189vh

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Ralph Thurm's last statement in this report on a recent speech rings true for me... "showed me how effective the cementation of incrementalism is that the standard setters are guilty of. ESG standards just document ongoing collapse without offering a vision towards regeneration." There is no vision of a truly transformed system (and the steps needed to initiate such a transformation) within the global network of sustainability professionals... no vision of (as Bucky Fuller talked about) a world in which all the energy we put into designing weapons is transferred into the critical mission of designing a system for society that is long-term sustainable. I applaud you for telling some hard truths to this audience. I think that's what we all need to find ways to do. But not just hard truths about how they are (to quote Peter Drucker) "getting better and better at doing the wrong things" but hopeful truths about what is truly possible if we adopt a total system redesign mindset.

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Sustainability isn’t just about retrofitting climate-conscious principles into a system that’s unsustainable by design — it requires a rethink of our current global economic system and an adoption of the regenerative tenets listed below: 1. Sufficiency 2. Circularity 3. Systems thinking 4. Redefining value around human and planetary flourishing 5. Equity and justice We’re currently at a critical inflexion point, but we still have the chance to change by shifting to sustainable thinking. #climatechange #sustainability #climateaction

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Good to see the launch of the Net Zero Recognition and Accountability Framework consultation by the UNFCCC today. Particularly endorsement of the contribution by the #High-Level Champions and #RaceToZero in coalescing net zero initiatives around a set of cross cutting practices that constitute the baseline of credible action, and promote reinforcing actions between entities and across value chains. Measures to codify a set of universal principles for #TransitionPlans is also welcome and an opportunity to amplify important work by #GFANZ and the #TransitionPlanTaskforce, particularly as thousands of companies have prepare to develop or upgrade their plans under the newly minted CSDDD.

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Good to see the launch of the Net Zero Recognition and Accountability Framework consultation by the UNFCCC today. Particularly great to see recognition of the contribution by the #High-Level Champions and #RaceToZero in coalescing net zero initiatives around a set of cross cutting norms and practices that both raise the threshold of what credible action looks like and promotes reinforcing feedback loops between entities, value chains and markets. Measures to codify a set of universal principles for #TransitionPlans is also welcome and an opportunity to amplify important work by #GFANZ and the #TransitionPlanTaskforce, particularly as thousands of companies prepare to develop or upgrade their plans in line with 1.5C, under the newly minted CSDDD. (See https://lnkd.in/e6-kFcpC) Matthew Phillips Nigel Topping, CMG Gonzalo Muñoz Abogabir CMG Fiona Macklin Razan Al Mubarak Mahmoud Mohieldin Nigar Arpadarai Jennifer Austin Frances way RAMIRO FERNANDEZ Tessa F.

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⚡⚡IMPORTANT ARTICLE ⚡⚡ Thank you Kirsten Schuijt for this excellent piece. "Expanding the targeted use of some market mechanisms can provide companies struggling to meet their Scope 3 targets with new options and incentives. By investing in transforming the markets where they have value chains, companies can deliver credible and durable emissions reductions, through vehicles such as renewable energy credits to contribute to the energy transition."

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Industrial Sustainability: The Real Challenge Ahead 💥 But too many industries think they can greenwash their way to sustainability. How to truly transform industry? Here are 5 insights from Torsten Becker, CEO of carbonauten GmbH: ✅ Materials with purpose: Focus on reducing, reusing, and recycling at every stage. ✅ Shift to bio-based products: Carbonauten transforms woody biomass into biochar, pyrolysis oil, and synthesis gas. ✅ Adopt regenerative practices: Restorative systems are the key, not just 'less bad' alternatives. ✅ Tackle the big carbon problem: Technologies like reforestation, ocean mineralization, and biochar are game-changers. ✅ Long-term vision: Sustainable transformation takes at least 20 years, so start now. Want to learn more? Read the full interview on our blog. Find the link in the comments.

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Ambitious climate policies are not just necessary but also economically viable. #kudos Lukas Bretschger ETH Zürich! for 'New Approaches in Climate Policy: Economic Pathways to Sustainable Growth' Achieving our climate goals requires innovative and effective policies. A recent article by CEPR - Centre for Economic Policy Research presents "economic pathways" as a novel, theory-based approach to climate policy. Here are the key takeaways: 🔍 Economic Pathways: These are dynamic models that simulate different policy impacts on the economy, providing a clear visualization of the consequences of various climate actions. 🌿 Decarbonization: The research shows that deep decarbonization only modestly delays economic development. In fact, stringent climate policies can ultimately lead to higher medium and long-term consumption growth. 📈 Policy Scenarios: The study explores three scenarios - business-as-usual (BAU), standard, and super escalator models. The super escalator, with a progressively increasing carbon price, is the most effective, achieving full decarbonization by 2040 with minimal economic disruption. 👥 Population Impact: Interestingly, population growth does not significantly interfere with economic development or resource use within these pathways. 💡 Policy Implications: The findings underscore the importance of robust, progressively stringent climate policies. These not only mitigate emissions but also support sustainable economic growth. ✊ Let's push for policies that secure a sustainable and prosperous future! Stay tuned for the best pricing policy #climateincentive. 🔗 Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dK44cX5z #ClimatePolicy #ClimateAction #Sustainability #EconomicGrowth #Decarbonization #RenewableEnergy #FutureGrowth

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It took some time to arrive at this publication on the Hallmarks of Systemic Investing. It's the kind of work I love, because I so believe in the importance of clear conceptual thinking, especially when it's something that practitioners can directly pick up and use. The response so far has been so rewarding, as people have told us that the Hallmarks put some much-needed structure around the Big Idea of systemic investing. Our consultation is open for another week - please download and take a look before *October 15th*, and give us your thoughts here https://lnkd.in/dJB4-4e7

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The agriculture and food landscape is changing. There is a growing awareness of the role of these systems as contributors to the polycrisis of climate, biodiversity loss, environmental degradation, and declining human health and nutrition that we face today. AND there is a growing number of people and organizations working to build solutions to address these global challenges. For many of these innovations - which range from on-farm tools to support farmers in transition to data tech that can create transparency across supply chains and much more - capital is a necessary ingredient to bring them to life. In 2 weeks, join us for a look at: Why We Need Venture Capital for the Regenerative Food & Farming Revolution This FREE webinar will address some key questions, including: 🌱 How can food and natural systems serve as the greatest lever for restoring climate, biodiversity and human health? 🚀 What founders are doing to create solutions for these global challenges? 💸 What is venture capital’s role in enabling these solutions to come to fruition? 💥 What it means for financial and impact returns? Super excited to hear from our friends at Pelican Ag on how capital can be invested from the soil up! Learn more and register here: https://lnkd.in/eWscA6Y4 Christopher Ramsay Simon Evill Julia Weber #venturecapital #agriculture #regenerativeagriculture #investment

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