It is always wonderful to connect and reconnect with individuals and organisations at Climate Week NYC, and this year was no different! It was indeed Inspiring to see so many people working tirelessly to address and innovate for climate, people, and our planet. There was a sense of urgency, and the agendas were very action-oriented, with a clear focus on results.
Here are my three key takeaways:
First, the impact of climate change is not equal!
The effects of climate change on disadvantaged communities are enormous and staggering, and I am not just talking about populations in coastal regions or island nations.
From warehouse workers enduring harsh conditions to those whose livelihoods are cut in half by heat waves and floods, the fallout is widespread. People’s Courage International, released an insightful report titled ‘Coping With Climate: How extreme weather is already impacting internal migrants’ during Climate Week. In it, they interviewed over 23,000 internal migrants across South and Southeast Asia and found that a staggering 90% face severe climate-related disruptions with minimal social protection coverage.
The report calls for coordinated efforts from governments, grassroots organisations, the private sector, and philanthropy to build scalable, climate-resilient solutions. Investing in interventions and research is essential.
Second, we MUST simplify complex impact metrics.
It is hard to put environmental and social elements in a square box! Unlike the simplicity of financial metrics, impact metrics need to account for far more complex realities. However, the social impact and climate world is adding jargon to its ecosystem at a breakneck speed. While attending some climate discussions, I felt I needed a climate dictionary to follow along. It’s essential to demystify these metrics and strip away unnecessary jargon if we’re going to drive effective, scalable solutions.
Harish Hande puts this point across very well in his post on ‘The Jargon Divide’.
Finally, empathy is the key to scale
Empathy-driven strategies are proving critical to scaling impact. We have seen some good evidence in the past few years; now, we just need to keep the focus on compassion and a people-first approach. Doubling down on empathy, both in strategy and execution, will help us create the large-scale, meaningful change the world needs. In my own experience, I have closely witnessed an empathetic partnership between Tata Power, a large corporation, and Grass Roots Energy, a start-up. I am sure this will lead to a very meaningful and positive impact on the disadvantaged communities they serve.
Escalating climate issues will define and impact every part of our lives, and the palpable sense of urgency I saw and felt at this year’s Climate Week NY is a testament to the growing momentum toward climate action. Now, it’s time to take these conversations, ideas, and insights back home and put them to work!
-Written by Vidya Phalke, Chief Technology Advisor, Social Alpha