Woodwell Climate urges business leaders at Davos to act on nature and climate

Woodwell Climate Research Center strives to ensure the best climate science informs societal decision making—in short, to influence the influencers. That often means getting out of the spaces that are traditional for scientists, and into the spaces where public policy and industry standards are shaped. This past week, that was Davos, Switzerland, site of the World Economic Forum. And Woodwell Climate was there, making sure Earth’s natural systems and changing climate had a voice.

Woodwell President and CEO Dr. Max Holmes, Board Vice Chair Tod Hynes, and Arctic Program Director Dr. Sue Natali all traveled to Davos. Dr. Holmes and Dr. Natali keynoted the Green Accelerator Davos event on Thursday evening, sharing the need for urgent action with the nearly two hundred government officials, business leaders, and investors in attendance. Dr. Natali also participated in events with Arctic Basecamp, highlighting the dual human rights and global climate ramifications of Arctic warming.

“We face a rapidly closing window to prevent the worst impacts of climate change, and the private sector has both an opportunity and a responsibility to play a large role in financing solutions and accelerating progress,” said Dr. Holmes. “It’s encouraging to hear business and finance leaders saying all the right things. Now, we need action.”