Perspectives on the climate crisis
From the threats to the insurance industry to the pros and cons of nuclear power, from the difficulties in gathering climate data to the psychological barriers to low-carbon living, these interviews provide insights into the implications of climate change for individuals, businesses and wider society.
The Economist: The pros and cons of carbon taxes
Professor Dieter Helm has written extensively on climate change, most recently in Green and Prosperous Land: A Blueprint for Rescuing the British Countryside (2019), and assisted the European Commission in preparing its Energy Roadmap 2050 initiative. Here, he discusses the links between energy, infrastructure, regulation and the environment.
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The Insurer: Maurice Tulloch on climate risk, insurance and closing the protection gap
The former Aviva CEO talks to AIQ about how the insurance industry is working to assess and manage the catastrophic risks of climate change.
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The Nuclear Energy Enthusiast: A potential solution to climate change
With governments under mounting pressure to decarbonise their electricity networks, US author and activist Michael Shellenberger argues nuclear energy has a vital role to play.
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The Asset Owner: How climate change affects investment decisions
Anne Simpson leads the environmental, social and governance (ESG) integration programme at CalPERS, the largest US public pension fund, with total assets of $401 billion. Here, Simpson discusses the responsibility of companies in fostering sustainable growth.
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The Psychologist: Climate change denial factors
Professor Geoffrey Beattie is an academic psychologist, writer and broadcaster. He coauthored The Psychology of Climate Change (2019) with Laura McGuire. Here, he discusses the psychological barriers to climate action and how they might be overcome.
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The Scientist: Measuring the Human impact on the climate
Dr Friederike Otto’s work – which considers whether human activities are increasing the likelihood of extreme weather events – has wide-ranging implications, from environmental damage claims to post-disaster reconstruction.
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The Responsible Investment Expert: How asset management should respond to the climate threat
As CEO of the United Nations-backed PRI, Fiona Reynolds heads the world’s leading proponent of responsible investment. She discusses how capital markets can contribute to the green-energy transition; the relative responsibilities of developed and emerging economies; and the PRI’s priorities for 2020 and beyond.
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The Policymaker: The US response, green technology and climate regulation
Ken Alex, former adviser to Californian governor Jerry Brown, discusses US policy, carbon capture and storage and the need for regulation to combat the effects of climate change.
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The Activist: Extinction Rebellion
Andrew Medhurst, a member of Extinction Rebellion (XR), outlines the group’s three demands of policymakers and argues the private sector should be doing more to respond to the climate crisis.
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The Fund Manager: Companies and climate change adaption
The climate crisis will create winners and losers. As portfolio manager Françoise Cespedes explains, companies will have to adjust to changing physical conditions and new consumer expectations in a lower-carbon world.
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The Behavioural Expert: Bestselling author Cass R. Sunstein on nudging and climate change
The Harvard academic and bestselling author talks to AIQ about the power of social conformity and what behavioural economics can teach us about tackling climate change.
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AIQ: The climate edition
Can the world get back on track towards meeting the commitments of 2015’s Paris Agreement? From science to psychology; from land use to big data; we examine the challenges posed by climate change and assess potential solutions.