It’s Time for the Business World to Declare a Climate Emergency

Following the lead of young people fomenting an Extinction Rebellion, the U.K. parliament just declared a climate emergency on May 1, and the governor of the Bank of England stated plainly that climate risk is an existential threat we can no longer ignore.

Yes, it's time for business to declare a climate emergency.

And that was before the recent UN report warning of the likely imminent extinction of 1 million species. The U.S. was one of 132 nations that signed off on the report. According to the panel’s chairman, the decline in biodiversity is eroding “the foundations of our economies, livelihoods, food security, health and quality of life worldwide.” In short, the report says that we are killing things necessary for our own survival.

Some who prefer business as usual may think, or even hope, this global wave of attention generated by activists and scientists is a passing tremor that will soon be forgotten like others before them. Some believe we are witnessing a seismic shift, shaking the foundations of institutional power in recognition of the existential threat of climate change. I’m not sure.

Read the Medium story by Jay Coen Gilbert - “It’s Time for the Business World to Declare a Climate Emergency.”