Madano Viewpoint- Heatwaves

An opinion piece written by Chloe Sanderson, Senior Account Director, Net-Zero Transition

Recently, travelling into the office is in and of itself a motivational tool to make sure we reach net zero. As I hop on the bus, I’m already fanning myself and trying to come unstuck from the vinyl seat, despite it only being 8am, and then we turn a corner and I’m met by a yellow, parched, dusty Common. If we were waiting for the reality of climate change to slap us around the face, we’re already there.

The world of net zero has two main communications challenges and the summer heatwave has provided a solution to one of those: we can all see and feel that climate change is happening now. Every day another story emerges about hosepipe bans, soaring temperatures, agricultural struggles and gushing rivers turning into tiny trickles. It’s getting harder and harder to deny that we are in the early years of a crisis which is set to get worse before it gets better.

However, the second challenge – communicating a solution – is still very much present. The main issue being that there isn’t one easy, low-cost, immediately available silver bullet. Industry and political leaders are facing the unappealing choice between fight or flight: either wade into the debate on where to put money and efforts to protect those in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, whilst also laying the foundations for a net zero future; or bury their heads in the sand, stall, and hope no one notices that the world burst into flames on our watch. But the cost of not putting one’s head above the parapet is that nothing gets done and the climate crisis rages on. That’s too high a price to pay.

That’s what I tell clients every day. It’s going to take bravery to speak up, we won’t get everything right and there will be some bumps along the way. We don’t have the silver bullet, but neither does anyone else, whether it’s hydrogen, nuclear, ultra-low carbon concrete or renewables. But it’s better to have moved the conversation on and at least tried to make a difference than look back and wonder if there was more we could have done.

On that note, I better get back to the job in hand. We have no time to lose.

If you would like to contact a member of the team, please email [email protected]