Author name: Mark Tercek

How we can get every company to be more like Patagonia This week, The Instigator is coming to you live from the conclusion of Climate Week in New York City. We’ve spent an action-packed few days encouraging corporate leaders to prioritize decarbonization, pushing investors to take longer views and make bigger bets to support bold climate strategies, urging political […]

And how not to do it Editor’s Note:  The Instigator is co-authored this week by Mark Tercek and Peter Ebsen Some good news in the net zero stocktake report 2022: some one-third (702) companies from the Forbes Global 2000 have pledged to achieve net zero targets (up from one-fifth as of 12/20). That’s pretty encouraging.  But . .

Biodiversity extinction markets break down as prices soar. Like the global carbon offset program, the international biodiversity extinction credit market is designed to organize the private sector’s responsibility to pay for the environmental consequences of their business activity. The specific goal is to incentivize companies to reach net-zero extinction-causing behavior.  Under the global extinction credit

President Biden makes a key climate nomination Back-to-back good news on the climate front is good news indeed. I for one could get used to this unexpected but very welcome turn of events when it comes to government action on climate.   First was the incredible news of the Manchin-Schumer climate proposal (aka The Inflation Reduction Act), which

Homework for the climate concerned News of the pending Manchin-Schumer bill came as a very welcome surprise this week. It still has an uncertain road ahead (all eyes on Senator Sinema), but if it does pass, it will be the biggest climate legislation in US history. That’s worth taking a moment to celebrate. It’s also

We need companies to step up on climate now more than ever. At 104.5, London recorded its highest temperature ever on Tuesday. The consequences to an area not used to such heat are devastating — roads were buckling and needed to be hosed down, bridges were cracking and needed to be wrapped in foil to

It’s the right step not just for business but nonprofits too Last month, the World Resources Institute (WRI) backed an SEC proposed reg that would require companies to disclose carbon emissions and associated plans to reduce them in a uniform and comparable way. As WRI put it, while they often advocate for the radical change that

Cross the aisle, listen, seek common ground (even in a time of hyper-polarization) We are facing an enormous challenge with devastating consequences that is only getting worse. The majority of the population knows this to be a huge problem and supports regulation. But thus far, policy progress has been mostly intractable. Sound familiar? Of course

They Need Public Policy to Succeed

Most climate advocates (including me) agree what we need most to accelerate climate progress is more ambitious public policy. Things like:  High and rising carbon taxes or cap and trade programs (with measures to address regressive impacts) Mandates (like renewable portfolio standards)  Incentives (like tax breaks for home heating electrification or CCS), and  Border adjustment