Tuesday 24 Sep
11:00-11:45 AM EST
Place: Main Stage, Floor 3
Session: Action Speaks louder than words
To spark real change for people and planet, our actions speak louder than words! Imagine a world in 2050, where businesses operate sustainably, powered by renewable energy and producing zero waste as part of circular economies. Collaboration across businesses ensures resilience and continued progress towards nature regeneration.
The science is clear: it is possible, but only if we act now. The solutions are here – yet we are not on track. Together we need to speed up and scale the implementation.
Hear directly from the changemakers behind the lowest carbon footprint Volvo car to date, women led nature-based solutions for climate disaster response in the Solomon Islands.
What immediate actions can businesses take to accelerate the implementation of climate solutions? How can we inspire more to act? What are the key enablers for success?
13:00-15:00 PM EST
Place: Workshop room 401, Floor 4
Co-hosted event: A pathway towards fair and responsible consumption
Sustainability and affordability can go hand in hand– and to achieve our climate goals, they must!
To ensure that people’s needs are met within planetary boundaries and to secure social equity, businesses must enable responsible consumption. We can do this by ensuring sustainable choices are affordable, supporting consumers with the required lifestyle and behaviour changes, and through innovative solutions for resource efficiency.
How can businesses, consumers, and governments work together to promote more fair and equitable consumption patterns? What lifestyle changes can individuals make to support sustainability? And how can companies drive new business models, offers and solutions to enable behaviour change at scale?
Wednesday 25 Sep
11:35-12:05 AM EST
Place: Main Stage, Floor 3
Session: How we finance climate solutions at scale
The climate solutions we need already exist today, but we must unlock financing to bring these solutions to scale. We must go beyond traditional financing, even beyond the value chain. On top of channelling finance to decarbonize companies and their value chains, we need channel finance around the climate solutions that matter most.
How can we be economy smart and climate smart at the same time? Where should we invest more to reduce our impact on nature and reduce costs?
13:00-15:30 PM EST
Place: Workshop room 401, Floor 4
Co-hosted event: Let’s Fix What We Have: Adapting Yesterday’s Buildings for Tomorrow
A sustainable built environment not only enhances people’s lives and our indoor environments but is also crucial for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and tackling the climate crisis. We need to change not only the way we think about constructing new buildings but also how we adapt and retrofit existing infrastructure to enhance resilience.
In the U.S., companies of all sizes are pioneering innovative solutions to address these challenges. In an industry that is often fragmented and siloed, this spotlight series will feature private and public sector experts, including IKEA U.S. leaders in sustainability and construction, providing a unique opportunity for the industry to come together and share their experiences.
These experts will share the challenges they faced and the successes they achieved in areas such as rooftop solar, renewable HVAC, and fleet electrification. The program will conclude with a Q&A session.
Thursday 26 Sep
11:25-11:55 AM EST
Place: Main Stage, Floor 3
Session: Stop Talking in Circles: Driving Behaviour Change for a Circular Economy
Achieving a circular economy is an essential part of addressing the climate crisis. Businesses and communities are already reducing the need for raw materials through reuse, recycling and repair, and today one of the main challenges we face is how to innovate and scale these solutions to build a brighter future.
Consumers are increasingly looking to leading brands and businesses for help reducing their carbon footprints, but achieving this at scale requires not only circular programs and infrastructure, but widespread participation and a total shift in consumer behavior. To succeed, companies need to get circularity right with Gen Z, who serve as a litmus test for sincerity in circular initiatives.
This panel will explore the pivotal role of youth in this transformation, their growing spending power towards more sustainable consumption patterns, and the importance of digital technologies for implementation. Join us to learn how we can collectively drive the shift toward a circular economy.