Your Invitation to Help Build a Sustainable Future | Jim Snabe | TED

Summary

The speaker shares their childhood in Greenland and recent expedition observations, highlighting the urgent need for radical leadership in climate action. They emphasize the importance of knowing the facts, choosing courageously, and collaborating globally to achieve zero-carbon goals. Drawing on examples from Maersk, Siemens, and Northvolt, they illustrate how pursuing impossible dreams and reinventing value chains can lead to both sustainability and business growth.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Grew up in Greenland: The speaker's childhood in Greenland instilled a deep appreciation for nature and its power.
• ❄️ Greenland's changing climate: The speaker observed significant changes in Greenland's climate during a 2022 expedition, including temperatures above freezing in April.
• 🌊 Sea level rise concern: The potential melting of Greenland's ice could raise sea levels by 6-7 meters, a fact that underscores the urgency of climate action.
• 🌱 The importance of knowledge: Knowledge is crucial as it empowers individuals to take action against climate change.
• 🚀 Radical leadership needed: The speaker calls for more radical leadership to combat climate change, emphasizing the need for urgency.
• 📈 Slow progress on emissions: Despite commitments to net-zero emissions, CO2 emissions continue to rise, indicating the need for faster action.
• 💪 Courageous choices: The necessity of making choices based on what is necessary for the environment, not just what seems possible.
• 🌟 Pursuing big dreams: The power of setting ambitious goals to inspire and make the impossible possible, as exemplified by Maersk's zero-carbon shipping commitment.
• 🤝 Collaboration for change: The importance of global collaboration in reinventing the value chain to achieve zero-carbon goals.
• 🎼 Orchestrating change: A metaphor of an orchestra is used to illustrate the need for a collective and coordinated approach to sustainable change.
• 🔄 Circular economy in action: The example of Northvolt, which is pioneering a zero-carbon value chain for batteries through recycling.
• 💼 Business opportunity in sustainability: The speaker highlights that sustainability is not just a moral imperative but also a significant business opportunity.

Q & A

How long did the speaker live in Greenland as a child?

The speaker lived in Greenland for seven years as a child.

What was the speaker's impression of Greenland's environment?

The speaker described Greenland as a very tough environment that was always cold, very dark, and had lots of snow.

What does the speaker humorously suggest about the name 'Greenland'?

The speaker humorously suggests that 'Greenland' might be the first example of greenwashing, implying it's not as green as the name suggests.

What significant change did the speaker observe during their expedition to northeast Greenland in April 2022?

The speaker observed that the temperature was above the freezing point during their expedition, which is unusual for northeast Greenland in April.

What was the estimated sea level rise if all the ice in Greenland were to melt?

The speaker mentioned that if all the ice in Greenland were to melt, it would cause a sea level rise of six to seven meters.

What is the speaker's call to action regarding climate change?

The speaker calls for more radical leadership and courage to pursue impossible big dreams in order to avoid a climate disaster.

What is the speaker's view on the progress of companies committing to net-zero emissions?

The speaker views the progress as too slow, with CO2 emissions still rising despite many companies committing to net-zero emissions by 2030 or 2040.

What did Maersk commit to in 2018, according to the speaker?

Maersk committed to zero-carbon shipping in 2018, without knowing exactly how to achieve it at the time.

What does the speaker advocate for in terms of reinventing the value chain?

The speaker advocates for reinventing the entire value chain based on zero carbon, not just optimizing individual parts of it.

How does the speaker compare the need for global collaboration to playing in a symphony orchestra?

The speaker compares the need for global collaboration to changing the music of a symphony orchestra, where a new sheet of music is needed for all musicians at once, and sometimes instruments need to be replaced.

What is the business opportunity that Northvolt has capitalized on, as mentioned by the speaker?

Northvolt has capitalized on the business opportunity of producing green batteries, with an order book of 55 billion dollars.

What is the role of the TED Future Forum according to the speaker?

The TED Future Forum is a community of companies led by courageous leaders who are reinventing for a sustainable future and sharing their stories to inspire others.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Early Life in Greenland and Climate Change Awareness

The speaker begins by sharing their childhood experience of living in Greenland for seven years, highlighting the harsh, cold, and snowy environment. They humorously point out the irony in the name 'Greenland', suggesting it's the first example of greenwashing. The speaker then contrasts their childhood experience with a recent expedition to Greenland in April 2022, noting the alarming rise in temperatures that caused the ice to melt unusually early. This experience led them to research the potential sea-level rise if all of Greenland's ice were to melt, revealing a shocking six to seven meters increase. The speaker emphasizes the importance of knowledge in driving action and calls for radical leadership to combat climate change. They critique companies' slow progress towards net-zero emissions and advocate for more courage and collaboration in pursuing zero-carbon goals, using Maersk's commitment to zero-carbon shipping as an example of bold leadership.

05:00

🚀 The Business Opportunity in Sustainability

In the second paragraph, the speaker discusses the significant business potential in sustainable practices, using Northvolt as a prime example. They mention an impressive order book of $55 billion for green batteries, demonstrating the market's demand for eco-friendly solutions. The speaker also highlights Siemens' success in decarbonizing infrastructure, which has led to the company's highest growth rate in two decades. They encourage more companies to join the TED Future Forum, a community of leaders committed to sustainable innovation and knowledge sharing. The speaker concludes with an invitation for others to join this movement, likening it to playing a beautiful instrument in a symphony orchestra, emphasizing the collective effort required for a sustainable future.

Keywords

💡Greenland

Greenland is a large island in the Arctic region, known for its vast ice sheets and harsh climate. In the script, the speaker humorously refers to it as the 'first example of greenwashing' due to its name suggesting a green, lush landscape, which is contrary to its icy reality. The speaker's childhood in Greenland shaped their understanding of nature's power and the impact of climate change, as evidenced by their later observations of melting ice.

💡Greenwashing

Greenwashing refers to the practice of making an unjustified claim about the environmental benefits of a product, service, or company in order to promote it. The speaker uses this term to critique the misleading name 'Greenland,' which does not reflect the actual environmental conditions of the region. This term is used to highlight the disconnect between perception and reality, especially in the context of environmental marketing.

💡Climate Change

Climate change is a long-term shift in global or regional climate patterns. The script discusses the speaker's personal experience of the drastic changes in Greenland's climate, with temperatures rising above freezing in April, which is unusual. This serves to illustrate the real-world effects of climate change and the urgency of addressing it.

💡Sea Level Rise

Sea level rise refers to the increase in the volume of water in the world's oceans, leading to a rise in sea levels. The speaker mentions that if all the ice in Greenland were to melt, it could cause sea levels to rise by six to seven meters, underscoring the significant impact of climate change on global sea levels and coastal areas.

💡Net-Zero Emissions

Net-zero emissions mean balancing the amount of greenhouse gases emitted with an equivalent amount being removed from the atmosphere. The script highlights that many companies have committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2030 or 2040. This concept is central to the discussion on corporate responsibility and the need for immediate action to combat climate change.

💡Radical Leadership

Radical leadership implies a transformative approach to leadership that challenges the status quo and drives significant change. The speaker advocates for more radical leadership in addressing climate change, suggesting that incremental changes are insufficient. This is exemplified by the speaker's own company's commitment to zero-carbon shipping, despite not knowing how to achieve it at the time.

💡Collaboration

Collaboration in the context of the script refers to the need for companies and organizations to work together to achieve sustainability goals. The speaker emphasizes the importance of reinventing entire value chains based on zero carbon and the necessity of global collaboration to make this happen.

💡Value Chain

A value chain is the full range of activities which are required to bring a product or service from conception, through the various stages of production (or provision), to delivery to the final consumer. The speaker argues for reinventing the entire value chain to be based on zero carbon, not just optimizing individual parts.

💡Deglobalization

Deglobalization is the reduction of global connectivity in terms of trade, investment, and cultural exchange. The speaker contrasts this concept with the need for increased global collaboration on sustainable technologies, arguing that we should be working together more, not less, to combat climate change.

💡Zero-Carbon Shipping

Zero-carbon shipping refers to the concept of transporting goods with no net release of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The speaker shares their company's commitment to this goal in 2018, which was a bold and ambitious target that required significant innovation and collaboration.

💡Northvolt

Northvolt is a company mentioned in the script that is pioneering a zero-carbon value chain for batteries based on recycling. It serves as an example of the kind of radical reinvention the speaker believes is necessary to combat climate change. Northvolt's approach to recycling raw materials from used batteries is a model for sustainable business practices.

Highlights

Moved to Greenland at the age of two and lived there for seven years.

Greenland is a tough environment with cold, dark, and snow.

Humorously suggested 'Greenland' might be the first example of greenwashing.

Learned the dependency on nature's forces from living in Greenland.

Participated in an expedition to northeast Greenland with a dogsled.

Observed significant changes in nature with temperatures above freezing in April.

Researched the impact of melting all Greenland's ice on sea levels.

Estimates suggest Greenland's ice melting could raise sea levels by 6-7 meters.

Emphasizes the importance of knowing to act against climate change.

Urges for radical leadership to avoid a climate disaster.

Many companies commit to net-zero emissions by 2030 or 2040.

Calls for more courage in choosing and more collaboration in doing.

Shares the example of Maersk committing to zero-carbon shipping.

Value chain reinvention is necessary for zero-carbon goals.

Global collaboration is needed for sustainable technologies.

Northvolt's creation as an example of radical leadership.

Northvolt has a $55 billion order book for green batteries.

Siemens is achieving its highest growth rate in 20 years through decarbonization.

Invitation to join TED Future Forum for sustainable future reinvention.

Transcripts

Now when I was two years old,

I moved to Greenland with my parents and my sister,

and we lived there for seven years.

It is quite a remarkable place to grow up as a child.

I remember Greenland as a very tough environment.

It was always cold, very dark, and there was lots of snow.

Not green at all.

(Laughter)

I actually believe that the word "Greenland"

is the first example of greenwashing in this world.

(Laughter)

Now, seven years in Greenland

taught me that our lives largely depend on the forces of nature.

And 50 years later, in April 2022,

I had the opportunity to participate in an expedition to northeast Greenland,

with 13 dogs, a dogsled and a tent.

This time, I only stayed for seven days,

but enough to see the big changes in nature.

Normally, the temperature in northeast Greenland, in April,

is around minus 20 degrees Celsius,

but that week,

we had days where the temperature was above the freezing point.

You could almost hear the ice melting, in April.

Wow.

So as I came back, I studied how much sea levels would rise

if all the ice in Greenland would melt.

I knew it was bad,

but honestly, I didn't know it was that bad.

Six to seven meters.

I know now, and knowing is important,

because when we know, we can do something.

But between knowing and doing, there is choosing.

By now, I think, we all kind of know.

So the questions are: “What are we choosing?”

And “What are we doing?”

If we want to avoid a climate disaster,

we need much more radical leadership.

Now, some companies have chosen --

actually, many companies have chosen --

to commit to net-zero emissions by 2030 or 2040,

which is great news, but the progress is far too slow.

CO2 emissions are still rising,

and if we do want to avoid that climate disaster,

I believe we need to be much more radical in our leadership.

(Cheers and applause)

When it comes to choosing, we need more courage.

Our choices need to be based on what is necessary,

not what seems possible right now.

If we choose to pursue impossible big dreams,

we spark the imagination of people,

and the impossible becomes possible.

Like we did at Maersk in 2018,

when we committed to zero-carbon shipping,

without knowing how to do it.

And when it comes to doing, we need much more collaboration.

For more than 100 years,

we've learned how to specialize and optimize our part of the value chain,

but if we want the kind of change that is necessary,

we need to reinvent the entire value chain based on zero carbon,

not just a piece of it.

At a time when some people talk about deglobalization,

we need more global collaboration

around sustainable technologies than ever before,

not less.

It reminds me of the time in my youth

when I played the trumpet in a symphony orchestra.

It was a great experience,

mostly because my fellow musicians played really, really well.

(Laughter)

Now if you want to change the music of a symphony orchestra,

it really doesn’t make sense to ask the trumpets to play a different tune

or the violins.

You need a new sheet of music for all the musicians at the same time,

and you might even need to replace some of the instruments.

Northvolt was created like that.

The founders had the courage to reimagine

a zero-carbon value chain for batteries,

based on recycling.

And as a new instrument,

they invented a way to take back the raw materials in used batteries,

and use them again and again and again.

That is the kind of radical leadership we need.

We need to have the courage

to orchestrate the reinvention of the entire value chain, end to end,

and we need to have massive collaboration to get it done in time.

And the good news?

Well, from my experience with Maersk,

and now Siemens and Northvolt,

if you dream big and you have the openness for collaboration,

this is not only a necessary set of conditions

to be successful in the endeavor,

it is also becoming a huge business opportunity at Northvolt.

We have an order book of 55 billion dollars of green batteries,

(Applause)

an eight-year-old company.

And Siemens -- thank you.

(Cheers and applause)

And Siemens is achieving the highest growth rate since 20 years,

because we are decarbonizing industrial and urban infrastructures

in close collaboration with our partners.

There are so many examples out there,

but we need many, many more.

And that is what the TED Future Forum is all about.

It's a growing community of companies

whose leaders have the courage to reinvent for a sustainable future,

and to share their stories,

to inspire others to do the same.

We invite you to join us.

We invite you to play your beautiful instrument,

in a symphony orchestra

with some of the most courageous leaders in the world.

Thank you.

(Cheers and applause)