2023

Onward to 2024 Dear Readers, Another year is coming to an end. And as it does, I want to say thank you.  One of the highlights of my year took place just recently. At COP28 in Dubai, and at various holiday gatherings over the last several weeks, I had the opportunity to see old friends […]

3 Observations I’m back from COP28 in Dubai and wanted to share a few observations in my areas of focus that you might not see elsewhere. 

The drawdown potential of fungal networks Last week, we shared some of the questions on our minds as we prepare for COP28 in Dubai next week. I’d like to raise one more critical opportunity here for everyone who will participate in this important event. As some of you may know, I chair the board of SPUN and have therefore

COP28 is the ideal setting for global climate collaboration The Instigator is co-authored this week by me and my friend Peter Ebsen. (See here, here, here, and here for past articles we’ve written together.) The next climate COP is taking place in a few short weeks. And it’s a good thing, because many important matters demand the attention of the climate

And see how a novelist pushes for climate action One of our favorite pastimes at The Instigator is recommending books that can drive climate progress. One of our recent favorites was The Deluge by Stephen Markley. It is so all-encompassing, I just had to talk to the author about his thinking behind this novel and the climate crisis generally.  Meet

Three concrete steps to begin a career transition Many people are pursuing second acts these days. Whether it’s post-retirement, a mid-career switch, or a transition after an initial foray into a profession, fewer and fewer people are pursuing a linear career path, let alone a singular one.   If you’re contemplating a move, you may be

Let’s Do Something About It In the two weeks since The Instigator was last in your inbox, it seems as though the world has plummeted into darkness. Beginning with the Hamas massacre in Israel and followed by the subsequent war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, every day we confront horrific news. This while the Russian war against

When is good good enough? Apple has been making a lot of news with its climate claims lately. But how ambitious is its climate program really?  That question provoked an interesting discussion on LinkedIn last week.  The debate really boiled down to the following question: “Where exactly should we set the bar for voluntary climate

And learn how you – like Frank – can become a not-so-accidental and influential environmentalist Frank Loy is an amazing person. He is also an unconventional environmentalist. He began his career as a corporate lawyer with the oldest and largest law firm in Los Angeles. He left a couple of times to take government positions

How CCOs and CSOs can accelerate climate progress I had a meeting during Climate Week in NYC with an accomplished Chief Climate Officer (CCO) looking for some advice. I was reminded how challenging it can be to serve in this still quite nascent role. I also recalled my personal experience serving as Goldman Sachs’s first