Getting It Done: It’s Go Time for Bold Leadership in Sustainability
I was happy to be back at Climate Week NYC 2022, after a two-year in-person hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a sustainability professional who deals with climate topics daily, several significant changes from two years ago came as a bit of a shock to me; it made me realize that sometimes you need to take a moment and reflect before rolling up your sleeves and getting back to work.
Climate Week NYC was held September 19–25, 2022
It was remarkable to see that there has been a drastic increase in the number of those interested in our future. This was evident through the increased number of professionals from all around the world who convened in New York City to focus on finding the pathways that will allow us to get to our goals together.
Taking action on climate change
The figures presented at the Climate Week NYC opening ceremony — such as 60% to 80% of all people are interested in humankind taking more significant actions on climate — were massive. That particular figure was an eye-opener even for me, especially when I plugged it into Google and saw that it equates to 6,202,400,000 people.
The planet has finally crossed the threshold — humankind must now take responsibility for compelling businesses to step up on climate protection. Each day, more companies are building strategies and designing programming to meet the pressures and demands of climate change. Whether it is people or stakeholders inside or outside the business, humanity is now driving the critical shift that we need to make the transition to get it done.
It is now or never for bold leadership in addressing and taking action on goals such as climate justice and sustainable supply chains to achieve meaningful, impactful results faster. We cannot continue to kick the can down the road by setting goals so far out that we end up in a “too little, too late” situation.
A view of Manhattan from the Hudson River Greenway
Apply data-driven decision-making
Businesses are being called on to lead change by examining the most logical, data- and science-driven pathways that will create new profit opportunities by applying a “green lens” to all functions of a business. Businesses also continue to play a critical role in emerging economies such as Africa and Southeast Asia, where energy security and climate justice are desperately needed.
The right paths to carbon alleviation
There is no doubt that the Paris Agreement is at stake if businesses do not step up and help alleviate the problems now. Being immersed in the issues at Climate Week showed me that clean energy and power efficiency are still the right paths to carbon alleviation. Businesses helping in the transition to clean energy will, in turn, help economies scale and will level the playing field through the continued electrification and decarbonization of the modern world.
Akamai’s active virtual power purchase agreements (VPPA) projects across the United States
Enabling a more efficient infrastructure
At Akamai, our platform helps make life better for billions of people, billions of times a day, and we do it in a sustainably conscious manner. Our infrastructure is everywhere. In more than 130 countries, 820 cities, and 4,100 locations, Akamai is making a difference in enabling the transition to clean energy.
Since the inception of our sustainability program in 2009, we have been working diligently to make our infrastructure more efficient while reducing waste.
Exploring impacts and emissions
In addition, Akamai — along with the U.S. Department of State and the Clean Energy Buyers Alliance — is constantly pushing the limits on critical global ambitions, such as the Clean Energy Demand Initiative, and exploring ways to mitigate emerging impacts such as the embodied emissions from our global deployments. Akamai recognizes that we have to do our part so we can all get to our goals together.
Transitioning to clean energy
To make life better for billions of people, billions of times a day, we will continue to support a just and clean energy transition across the globe. Humankind can go further and get there faster by driving innovation and ambition, and reducing today’s critical climate impacts to support the future.
Make #shift happen
Climate Week NYC made it clear that we all have a role to play. Time is running out to join us at Akamai to make #shift happen. Partners, friends, competitors, and anyone wanting to make an impactful difference in the climate are welcome. Together, we can get it done!
