This year’s conference focused on the central role of the business sector in reducing carbon emissions. It provided a platform for leaders to share fresh ideas about how they are executing strategies to build resilience and deliver on ambition. With around 700 delegates attending in-person and online the Climate Change and Business Conference 2022 marks the largest event in its 14-year history.
Links to view the sessions below.
Day 1
Mihi Whakatau and Welcome
Global Perspectives
- A review of progress in climate change policy responses in Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia and the rest of the world, including an update on important and emerging changes in the science.
Government Leadership
- Exploring the role of national and local governments in creating a clear pathway to net zero. An update on new policy settings and timelines including implementation of the Emissions Reduction Plan, Climate Adaptation Plan, resource management reform, climate-related disclosures legislation and local government reform.
Business Leadership
- Business leaders will respond to the political context and talk about what they are doing now to achieve 2030 goals in this decade of decisive action.
Collaborative Foundations
- This session will explore the opportunities and challenges of collaborative climate action across the public and private sectors, and traditional sector boundaries. It will also debate how we think of competition in the future.
Financing and Investment
- This session covers the investment that is required to meet emission targets and what New Zealand’s finance sector needs to look like by 2030 to support the transition and adaption required.
Disclosure and Managing Risk
- We all know that what gets measured gets managed. This session will focus on how transparency and disclosure are critical to achieving a low carbon future and financial stability including an overview and update of the proposed climate-related financial disclosure regime.
Future Voices
- I’m a young person working on climate solutions. Here’s what I wish business leaders knew. Stuff Climate Editor Eloise Gibson hosts a conversation with a panel of change makers.
Adaptation Action
- This session will cover the latest thinking and practical approaches to adapting to a changing climate. It will explore the new National Adaptation Plan, managed retreat proposals and the proposed Climate Adaptation Act. We will also highlight examples of business leadership in this space.
Perspectives of the Opposition
Day 2
The Party Conversation on Climate Action
- Representatives from each political party discuss their perspective on implementing and financing climate action, with a particular focus on the next five years.
Climate and Our Competitive Advantage
- In this session we’ll explore evolving international trade settings, the global marketplace and changing consumer preferences. We’ll focus on ideas attendees can take away about how they can be competitive against that backdrop and stay ahead of curve.
Carbon Markets – Compliance, Voluntary and Investment
- An overview of where we are at with the New Zealand ETS, what’s in the pipeline as well as international carbon markets and access. We’ll also look at emerging practice regarding voluntary offsets.
Climate Risk and Litigation
- Exploring the legal issues associated with climate change, and law as a tool for climate action.
Transport and Urban form
- We’ll explore both the actions needed and those already underway to build an interconnected and decarbonised transport system. This session will also touch on the infrastructure required to make it happen, including decarbonising the aviation industry, organising cities to reduce emissions and mass transit barriers and solutions.
Heat, Industry and Power
- Decarbonising heavy industry and transitioning away from fossil fuels as an energy source is one of key areas identified for substantial emission reductions in the Emission Reduction Plan (ERP). Recent government support (GIDI) to decarbonise industry is an opportunity for the sector to rapidly deliver their share of emission reductions. This session will examine the demand-side drivers and solutions from business leaders, with a focus on overcoming the barriers to decarbonisation.
Agriculture
- This is a pivotal time for agriculture. This session reflects our opportunity to take a fresh look at how we use the land and ask critical, systems-oriented questions about our land-based economy.
Energy Supply
- A look at innovations and actions on the energy supply side, with a spotlight on successful R&D and pilots. Including an exploration of progress made on low carbon alternatives and policies and incentives required to get us to 2030.
Supply Chain Dynamics
- Net zero targets and carbon neutral commitments are the current buzzwords as companies pledge to cut emissions. It’s a task many businesses are falling short on, especially around their supply chain. A fully developed net zero target should include both direct and indirect emissions, including suppliers – known as Scope 3 emissions. This session will look to unearth how our panellists; Fonterra, Zespri International and Nespresso NZ, are tackling the challenge of reducing their supply chain emissions and what lessons have been learned along the way.
A Just Transition
- How do we take a systems level change approach that has people at its heart? Here we’ll discuss just transition at a national and local level, with examples of how both businesses and local government are leading the transition.
Business Leadership & Our Ambition Loop
- An energising and inspirational session to motivate attendees to accelerate action. We’ll highlight the opportunities for engagement across sectors and between government and business to create a mutually reinforcing circle of climate action (the ambition loop).