Climate Rising
Harvard Business School Business & Environment Initiative
Climate Rising is about the impact of climate change on business. It brings business and policy leaders and Harvard Business School faculty together to share insights about what businesses are doing, can do, and should do to confront climate change. It explores the many challenges and opportunities that climate change raises for managers, such as decisions about where they choose to locate, the technologies they develop and use, their strategies with respect to products, marketing, customer engagement, and policy—in other words, the full spectrum of business concerns.
Episodes
Mentioned books
11 snips
Dec 20, 2023 • 32min
Sweden’s Northvolt Quest to Build the World’s Greenest EV Batteries
Harvard Business School professor George Serafeim discusses the case of Northvolt, a Sweden-based startup company producing batteries for Europe's EV auto manufacturers. They explore government partnerships, hiring the right people, financing, the importance of batteries in the transition to EVs, net zero and climate change drivers, the problem of the commons and climate change, and Northvolt's strategy and goals.
38 snips
Dec 6, 2023 • 43min
How Green Hydrogen can Decarbonize Hard-to-Abate Sectors
Jacob Susman, CEO and co-founder of Ambient Fuels, discusses how green hydrogen can decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors. He highlights the role of renewable power in green hydrogen production and its potential uses in industries like shipping and fertilizer. The challenges and complexities of using hydrogen as fuel in the trucking industry are also discussed. They share insights on financing in the energy sector and the process of building a successful Devco in the green hydrogen sector.
21 snips
Nov 22, 2023 • 37min
CarbonBuilt: Decarbonizing Concrete Blocks
In this podcast, Rahul Shendure, CEO and Director at CarbonBuilt, discusses their technology that replaces carbon-intensive cement with industrial waste materials and captured carbon dioxide to decarbonize concrete. They explore the environmental impact of the cement and concrete industry, the challenges and opportunities of decarbonizing concrete production, and the validation process for alternative materials. Rahul also provides advice for those interested in careers in the climate startup world.
10 snips
Nov 8, 2023 • 33min
Einride: Decarbonizing Trucking with EVs, Automony, and Digitalization
Linnéa Kornehed Falck, Einride's Founder, discusses how their fleet-based freight capacity-as-a-service business model aims to disrupt the cargo trucking industry while decarbonizing the sector. The podcast explores the potential benefits of autonomy in trucking, the similarities and differences between electric vehicle technology for trucks and cars, and Einride's focus on electric batteries for their trucks. It also touches on Enride's relationship with customers and the challenges and opportunities in raising capital and accessing talent.
Oct 25, 2023 • 25min
How Sian Flowers Aims to Create a Low-Carbon Rose
This podcast explores the efforts of Kenyan company Sian Flowers to create a low-carbon rose by shipping them around the world by sea. It discusses the carbon footprint in the horticulture industry in Kenya, compares carbon footprints of different transportation methods, explores the challenges of shipping by air and ocean, and examines the marketing opportunities and risks of selling low-carbon products.
Oct 11, 2023 • 36min
Three MBA Summer Interns in Business and Climate Change
Harvard Business School MBA students Nabig Chaudhry, Mitch Hirai, and Kamya Jagadish share their experiences interning in climate-related businesses, discussing their search process, projects related to zero emissions delivery, and the importance of networking. They provide valuable advice on job hunting in the field, recommend resources and sources for staying updated on climate-related news, and share their future career plans related to climate change and urban job creation.
Sep 27, 2023 • 47min
How Boards Can Drive Climate Performance
HBS Prof. George Serafeim moderates a panel discussion on driving climate performance with Carter Roberts, President & CEO of World Wildlife Fund, Deb Spar, HBS professor, Bonita Stewart, Board Partner at Gradient Ventures, and Lauren Taylor Wolfe, Cofounder & Managing Partner of Impactive Capital. Topics include the role of boards in driving climate performance, collaboration across sectors, government intervention, data quality, the potential impact of the European border tax, and driving sustainability through boardroom focus on products.
Sep 13, 2023 • 39min
How Arcos Dorados is Addressing Climate Change in Latin America
Gabriel Serber, VP of Social Impact and Sustainable Development at Arcos Dorados, discusses how the company addresses climate change in Latin America. Topics include cultural diversity, McDonald's sustainability efforts, regional preferences, and water competition. Additionally, advice is given on integrating sustainability into business practices.
Aug 30, 2023 • 56min
An Investor’s Perspective on Corporate Climate Action
Paul Bodnar, Director of Sustainable Finance, Industry, and Diplomacy, discusses investors' approach to weighing climate priorities with fiduciary responsibilities. He shares insights on sustainable investing, climate risks, tracking capital expenditure, and opportunities in climate finance.
6 snips
Aug 16, 2023 • 46min
Helping Consumers Decarbonize their Purchases
Sanchali Pal, Founder and CEO of Commons, discusses building an app to help consumers make climate-friendly purchasing decisions, tracking carbon footprint, utilizing location data, pricing, fundraising, and exploring the market for green energy.
