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Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)

Achieving Zero

The transition to zero is underway. The private sector has a critical role in delivering this transition and there is a growing body of evidence to demonstrate that it makes business sense to act.

Forward looking companies understand this. They are harnessing climate action as driver of innovation, risk management and competitiveness – recognising that setting a course to net zero can provide a powerful guiding light in turbulent times as well as delivering commercial benefits. Yet, there is no blueprint for change and change is not happening fast enough.

The necessary speed and scale of the transition will require unprecedented co-operation and effort from all companies and sectors. It will require transformation towards a new economy that puts people, nature and the climate at the heart of global value creation. 

 

What we do 


Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) plays a key role working with its partners to accelerate this transition. Through our  foresight, education, convening and innovation we help hundreds of companies and thousands of individuals every year to deliver transformational change and impact for a net zero economy.  

 

CISL insights


 

The Dubai hosted 28th annual session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention

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Our position on phasing out fossil fuels.

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Helping businesses align their strategies with net zero.

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Tools, frameworks and thought leadership from the Centre for Sustainable Finance.

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Case studies from startups and SMEs on their net zero journey.

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Thought leadership and knowledge hubs from the Corporate Leaders groups.

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Programmes and courses for business


 

CISL’s flagship international programme equips leaders with the knowledge, commitment and inspiration to turn sustainability
trends into strategic business decisions.

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Online short course to help business professionals upskill themselves in climate change risk, adaptation measures, and low carbon innovation.

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Supporters 


Cambridge Zero harnesses the full range of the University’s research and policy expertise, developing solutions that work for our lives, our society and our economy. 

Chapter Zero is building a community of non-executive directors and equipping them to lead crucial UK boardroom discussions on the impacts of climate change. 

We Mean Business coalition is a global nonprofit coalition working with the world’s most influential businesses to take action on climate change.

Supporters

 

 

Resources and research


Read more at: Julian Allwood: Sustainable Materials With Both Eyes Open

Julian Allwood: Sustainable Materials With Both Eyes Open

December 2012 – The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that global greenhouse gas reductions of 50–85 per cent will be needed by 2050 to avoid dangerous climate change, representing a radical shift away from today’s fossil-fuel-derived economy. This begs the question: is such a reduction achievable, and if so, how? This is one of the key challenges tackled through the research of Dr Julian Allwood and his Low Carbon Materials Processing Group (LCMPG) at the University of Cambridge.


Read more at: Mike Brown: Hard limits flexible strategies

Mike Brown: Hard limits flexible strategies

December 2012 – COP17 – the 17th Conference of the Parties for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – proved a catalyst for South African business to engage more deeply with the challenges of climate change. What became clear through my attendance at the event, and my active participation in the South African Corporate Leaders Group on Climate Change, is that the global climate system is not open to negotiation.


Read more at: Carlos Fadigas: Business as part of the solution

Carlos Fadigas: Business as part of the solution

December 2012 – There are many roles for business in developing sustainability, but the most important is to integrate sustainability principles into business strategy. Sustainability means much more than just worrying about the environmental impacts of business operations – this only represents ‘business as usual’. I prefer the idea of looking for the business opportunities that could arise from the huge challenge of trying to raise living standards for a likely population of 9 billion in 2050, yet remaining within the limits of our planet.


Read more at: Sandrine Dixson Decleve Leadership Creating the Space to Act

Sandrine Dixson Decleve Leadership Creating the Space to Act

December 2012 – Europe’s policy leaders at all levels of the political ladder – from the EU institutions to the member states – are confronted daily with short-term economic challenges. As a result, sustainability and climate issues are often set aside, and leadership is waning.


Read more at: Polly Courtice: The critical link: strategy and sustainability in leadership development

Polly Courtice: The critical link: strategy and sustainability in leadership development

January 2013 – Over the past 25 years, business has shifted its response to sustainability issues from a focus on compliance and reputation management to longer-term risk management and building competitive advantage.


Read more at: ClimateWise Thought Leadership: The role of insurers in strengthening business resilience to climate risk

ClimateWise Thought Leadership: The role of insurers in strengthening business resilience to climate risk

February 2013 – Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance is Japan's leading general insurance company, established in 1879. In this ClimateWise Thought Leadership article Kunio Ishihara, Chairman of the Board, discusses the role of insurers in supply chain resilience, and where climate change poses particular threats to these supply chains across Asian markets.


Read more at: Measuring managing and reporting GHG emissions from internal air travel

Measuring managing and reporting GHG emissions from internal air travel

April 2013 – PSSI is a unique consortium of leaders from professional services firms to encourage and deliver tangible steps towards a sustainable future. Its sub-group on Internal Air Travel was set up to look into the measuring, management and reporting of internal air travel in the professional services sector. It was conceived of and launched by professional services executives in 2012. The group leverages the professional services’ expertise to better understand, communicate and act on their GHG emissions resulting from business internal air travel.


Read more at: ClimateWise Thought Leadership: A one in ten chance: As risk experts do insurers really communicate risk effectively?

ClimateWise Thought Leadership: A one in ten chance: As risk experts do insurers really communicate risk effectively?

July 2013 – Exploring how the perception of risk affects customer responses to climate risk. How risk is perceived is key to whether people take action to manage risk. Advertisers use insights from behavioural science all the time but it is not often considered when looking at responses to unexpected events.


Read more at: Building Resilient Cities: From Risk Assessment to Redevelopment

Building Resilient Cities: From Risk Assessment to Redevelopment

November 2013 – ClimateWise publishes priorities, planning framework and toolkit. Urban resilience against the weather effects of climate change is an imperative of the insurance industry. It reduces losses, promotes insurability, and presents opportunities for innovative risk transfer and insurance solutions to help manage climate risk.


Read more at: Building Resilient Cities Priorities for Collaborative Action

Building Resilient Cities Priorities for Collaborative Action

November 2013 – This is one of three documents developed by insurance industry leaders and city stakeholders through the Building Climate Resilience in Cities workshop series convened by Ceres and ClimateWise in 2012 and 2013. This document distils the key priorities that emerged from the workshop series for collaborative action between key urban resiliency stakeholders to build climate resilience in cities.