un climate conference

What will it take for the world to get serious about water?

What will it take for the world to get serious about water?

Why did it take over twenty years for the UN's marquee climate conference to start talking about water? This lack of attention has led humanity to "abuse the resource," overtaxing existing freshwater resources and exposing them to pollution, per expert James at a GZERO Live event organized by Sustainability Leaders Council, a partnership between Eurasia Group, GZERO Media, and Suntory.

“Fine words” on climate aren’t enough: UN Environment Chief Inger Andersen

GZERO World Clips

“Fine words” on climate aren’t enough: UN Environment Chief Inger Andersen

On GZERO World, Ian Bremmer speaks with Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Program. Will the UN Climate Conference (COP26) produce lasting change or just more hot air? The world's top 20 economies, Andersen says, are responsible for over three-quarters of global carbon emissions, so if they "make the requisite shifts, frankly we are out of the climate crisis."

Eurasia Group’s Gerald Butts: US climate change debate has moved from finger-pointing to solutions

Eurasia Group’s Gerald Butts: US climate change debate has moved from finger-pointing to solutions

Five years ago, for the US president to say it's time to move away from fossil fuels sounded like an episode of The West Wing. Not anymore, says Eurasia Group Vice Chairman Gerald Butts. In his view, the climate debate in the West has (finally) moved from who's responsible, to what we're going to do about it — "much more productive ground." Butts admits the enormous inertia in the US political system that'll fight change on climate, but ultimately believes that "when you take the very long view, the direction of travel of has set in."

Companies moving from climate pledges to judging performance, says Microsoft’s Lucas Joppa

Companies moving from climate pledges to judging performance, says Microsoft’s Lucas Joppa

As governments haggle climate deals to curb emissions way into the future at COP26, Microsoft chief environmental officer Lucas Joppa says the private sector is moving beyond lofty pledges to talk about performance. Instead of what your commitments are, he explains, corporations are asking each other how they're scoring on what they promised to do. "How are you measuring carbon? How are you accounting for carbon? What are the systems that need to be put in place to actually make this whole Net Zero thing work?"