climate technology

Net zero emissions by 2050 "lacks sense of urgency" — Suntory CEO

Net zero emissions by 2050 "lacks sense of urgency" — Suntory CEO

Like many other big corporations, Japanese brewer and distiller Suntory want to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. But that's not enough for CEO Tak Niinami. "It's far away and lacks the sense of urgency," he says. Niinami predicts that especially after COP26 people will be wary of greenwashing, so it's essential for corporations to "to be transparent, showing society what we are doing and how much progress we are making" on climate.

Making plastic industry sustainable is corporate self-interest

Making plastic industry sustainable is corporate self-interest

Plastics are essential for Asia, but for Ian Bremmer the way the industry works right now is incompatible with the region's targets to fight climate change. Very soon, though, he predicts there will be "immense gravitational pull" to do things differently. Once the way Asian companies use plastics now becomes outdated, he says, it's only a matter of time before they change out of their own self-interest.

Asia will lose land as the planet warms, says IPCC's Ko Barrett

Asia will lose land as the planet warms, says IPCC's Ko Barrett

Last August, a landmark IPCC report underscored the urgency of the climate crisis — with big implications for Asia, the region most at risk. Ko Barret, vice president at the IPCC, says Asia should especially watch out for a combination of sea level rise above the global average and a lot more rain than usual that'll together result in shorelines receding along the Mekong delta. Barrett spoke during the first of a two-part Sustainability Leaders Summit livestream conversation sponsored by Suntory.

COP falling apart doesn't mean we're failing to respond to climate: Ian Bremmer

COP falling apart doesn't mean we're failing to respond to climate: Ian Bremmer

For Ian Bremmer, on the one hand accepting climate science in the age of fake news and disinformation is a huge victory. But on the other hand, in a few days COP26 — the biggest global summit on the most important global issue we all face right now — will probably just kick the can down the road because global leadership has checked out. Still, Bremmer says this is an opportunity for the COP process to be driven in the future by other people different from the current old males that run the show.

Indonesia's tricky balance on climate and poverty

Indonesia's tricky balance on climate and poverty

Shinta Kamdami, CEO of Indonesian conglomerate Sintesa, says her country is in a tight spot on climate. Indonesia wants to do a lot more to curb its emissions because it still burns a lot of coal to get power, but must transition to more clean energy in sustainable a way that doesn't further hurt millions of poor Indonesians — and many Asian developing countries face the same balancing act. Kamdami spoke during the first of a two-part Sustainability Leaders Summit livestream conversation sponsored by Suntory.