{"657917":{"#nid":"657917","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Leaders Discuss the Business of Climate Solutions ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech President \u003Ca class=\u0022Hyperlink SCXW1008626 BCX2\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/drangelcabrera\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u0026Aacute;ngel Cabrera\u003C\/a\u003E and Delta Air Lines CEO \u003Ca class=\u0022Hyperlink SCXW1008626 BCX2\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/edbastian\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEd Bastian\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/edbastian\/\u0022\u003E \u003C\/a\u003Erecently discussed how businesses, both small and large, can make positive changes to address urgent issues such as climate change. The conversation, \u0026ldquo;The Business of Climate Solutions, Local to Global,\u0026rdquo; was moderated by \u003Cem\u003ESaportaReport\u003C\/em\u003E editor \u003Ca class=\u0022Hyperlink SCXW1008626 BCX2\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/maria-saporta-7450735\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMaria Saporta\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/maria-saporta-7450735\/\u0022\u003E \u003C\/a\u003Eand CNN national correspondent \u003Ca class=\u0022Hyperlink SCXW1008626 BCX2\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/nick-valencia-ba58ab16\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENick Valencia\u003C\/a\u003E, and hosted at the Georgia Tech Research Institute. The event was part of the \u003Ca class=\u0022Hyperlink SCXW1008626 BCX2\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/atlantapressclub.org\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAtlanta Press Club\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026rsquo;s Newsmaker Leadership Series and produced in partnership with the \u003Ca class=\u0022Hyperlink SCXW1008626 BCX2\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scheller.gatech.edu\/centers-initiatives\/ray-c-anderson-center-for-sustainable-business\/drawdown-georgia-business-compact-home.html\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDrawdown Georgia Business Compact\u003C\/a\u003E, an initiative of the \u003Ca class=\u0022Hyperlink SCXW1008626 BCX2\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scheller.gatech.edu\/centers-initiatives\/ray-c-anderson-center-for-sustainable-business\/index.html\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERay\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scheller.gatech.edu\/centers-initiatives\/ray-c-anderson-center-for-sustainable-business\/index.html\u0022\u003E C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business\u003C\/a\u003E at the Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business. Read more for highlights from the discussion.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUrgent Action Needed\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen Saporta asked Cabrera to rank on a scale of one to 10 the degree of urgency with which climate change needs to be addressed, without missing a beat, he responded, \u0026ldquo;10.\u0026rdquo; He referred to the latest \u0026ldquo;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ipcc.ch\/\u0022\u003Esobering\u0026rdquo; report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change\u003C\/a\u003E, which describes how the perils of climate change are not only in the future but are already here now.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBastian said, \u0026ldquo;We can\u0026rsquo;t walk out of this timeframe without a renewed commitment to replenishing the Earth \u0026hellip; and creating an opportunity for all of our children going forward.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECabrera, hopeful that humanity can find solutions for this present threat, used the lightning-fast development of the Covid-19 vaccine as an example of what can happen when humanity unites to face a global threat. Solving the climate crisis, he said, will require \u0026ldquo;the best of our best thinking\u0026rdquo; from scientists, engineers, policy experts, social scientists, and others in many fields.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEmbrace Innovative Solutions\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECabrera additionally shared how Georgia Tech and Delta partnered on a project to remove the wiring from certain aircraft entertainment systems to make them wireless devices. That small change, removing kilograms of material from planes, led to improvement on the fleet\u0026rsquo;s overall efficiency. Cabrera said, \u0026ldquo;A lot of innovation is not about, \u0026lsquo;Oh, let\u0026rsquo;s all stop flying \u0026hellip; or stop living.\u0026rsquo; No, it\u0026rsquo;s, \u0026lsquo;How can we be \u003Cem\u003Esmart\u003C\/em\u003E about doing this?\u0026rsquo;\u0026rdquo; He acknowledged Georgia Tech experts in the room who understand what types of combustion technology can be most efficient, and those who are working on carbon capture. He said that while some may think carbon reduction is anti-business, the truth is quite the opposite. Cabrera said that many innovative solutions will, in fact, create more opportunities for business.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EScaling Up\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDeveloping innovative ideas and technologies isn\u0026rsquo;t the problem. The question is: How are they to be funded and scaled? Bastian said, \u0026ldquo;Ninety-eight percent of [Delta\u0026rsquo;s] footprint is fossil fuel \u0026hellip; jet fuel.\u0026rdquo; The airline industry is classified as \u0026ldquo;hard-to-decarbonize.\u0026rdquo; While Delta is working with Georgia Tech and other organizations on how to replace their energy source, there isn\u0026rsquo;t presently a viable alternative to jet fuel. Bastian said, \u0026ldquo;At Delta, if we acquired all of the sustainable aviation fuel that exists in production today \u003Cem\u003Ein the world,\u003C\/em\u003E it\u0026rsquo;s enough to fuel our planes for one day.\u0026rdquo; Even though sustainable aviation fuel \u003Cem\u003Ecan\u003C\/em\u003E be produced, it\u0026rsquo;s incredibly expensive, costing anywhere from three to five times a gallon more than jet fuel. \u0026ldquo;Energy producers aren\u0026rsquo;t going to invest the tens of billions of dollars required unless they know they\u0026rsquo;re going to have somebody on their side,\u0026rdquo; said Bastian.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe speakers expressed hope that our government can intervene the same way it did with electric vehicles (EVs). Incentives and subsidies created the investment for EVs to be produced \u0026ndash; and this segment of the auto industry is now seeing a boom.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPreparing Business Leaders\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business supports corporate sustainability through education, research, and industry partnerships. It is motivated by the example set by sustainable business visionary and Interface founder\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.raycandersonfoundation.org\/about-ray\u0022\u003E Ray C. Anderson\u003C\/a\u003E (IE 1956, Honorary Ph.D. 2011), who understood the role of business in tackling the big challenges the world is facing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECabrera said, \u0026ldquo;[The center] is aligned with this vision that business ... and business leaders have a key role to play. And it all starts when a business leader says, \u0026lsquo;This is important, and I want to hire someone to lead the effort.\u0026rsquo;\u0026rdquo; He also explained that the solutions that are going to be coming forward are not just new technologies but new business models that accompany those technologies.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EClimate Solutions Start at Home\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca class=\u0022Hyperlink SCXW1008626 BCX2\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/www.drawdownga.org\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDrawdown Georgia\u003C\/a\u003E is a multi-university research collaboration led by Georgia Tech, with leadership from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.raycandersonfoundation.org\/\u0022\u003ERay C. Anderson Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E. Its research has resulted in a list of 20 proposed carbon solutions tailored to Georgia to help businesses of all sizes understand the importance of their carbon impact.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECabrera said, \u0026ldquo;This is an effort to bring this global problem close to home.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDrawdown Georgia takes into consideration the state\u0026rsquo;s unique economy, population mix, and geography. Delta is one of the 28 (and counting) Drawdown Georgia Business Compact members seeking to reduce their carbon footprint and positively impact \u0026ldquo;beyond carbon\u0026rdquo; issues of equity, economic development, and public health.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOverall, the discussion underscored the urgent need for businesses, the government, and individuals to take action immediately. Valencia summarized what exactly is at stake. He said, \u0026ldquo;This is one of the most important discussions of our time. As a father of two small children, I want to make sure that I leave a good world here behind for my kids, and I know that these individuals here are doing their part to make sure that the future generations have a world to live in.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to the Atlanta Press Club and the Drawdown Georgia Business Compact, other sponsors included Delta Air Lines and Southern Company Gas.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech President \u0026Aacute;ngel Cabrera and Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian discuss how businesses can make positive changes to address urgent issues such as climate change.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech President \u00c1ngel Cabrera and Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian discuss how businesses can make positive changes to address urgent issues such as climate change."}],"uid":"28082","created_gmt":"2022-05-03 17:44:01","changed_gmt":"2022-05-17 16:20:26","author":"Lorrie Burroughs","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2022-05-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2022-05-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"657910":{"id":"657910","type":"image","title":"Visitors to ATL Press Club Event, 2022","body":null,"created":"1651599002","gmt_created":"2022-05-03 17:30:02","changed":"1651599017","gmt_changed":"2022-05-03 17:30:17","alt":"Group of academic and business leaders at ATL Press Club","file":{"fid":"249381","name":"georgia leaders discussing the business of climate solutions.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/georgia%20leaders%20discussing%20the%20business%20of%20climate%20solutions.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/georgia%20leaders%20discussing%20the%20business%20of%20climate%20solutions.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":509510,"path_740":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/georgia%20leaders%20discussing%20the%20business%20of%20climate%20solutions.jpg?itok=XOwLp8Zy"}},"657908":{"id":"657908","type":"image","title":"Atlanta Press Club panel","body":null,"created":"1651598727","gmt_created":"2022-05-03 17:25:27","changed":"1651598747","gmt_changed":"2022-05-03 17:25:47","alt":"","file":{"fid":"249378","name":"l-r Maria Saporta, ick Valencia, President Cabrera, and Ed Bastian.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/l-r%20Maria%20Saporta%2C%20ick%20Valencia%2C%20President%20Cabrera%2C%20and%20Ed%20Bastian.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/l-r%20Maria%20Saporta%2C%20ick%20Valencia%2C%20President%20Cabrera%2C%20and%20Ed%20Bastian.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":547061,"path_740":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/l-r%20Maria%20Saporta%2C%20ick%20Valencia%2C%20President%20Cabrera%2C%20and%20Ed%20Bastian.jpg?itok=dFdZQsgK"}}},"media_ids":["657910","657908"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wabe.org\/at-forum-delta-ceo-talks-sustainability-and-ending-oil-purchases-from-russia\/","title":"At forum, Delta CEO talks sustainability and ending oil purchases from Russia (WABE, 03\/31\/2022) "},{"url":"https:\/\/saportareport.com\/delta-georgia-tech-leaders-discusses-climate-solutions-for-businesses-at-atlanta-press-club-event\/sections\/reports\/allison\/?mc_cid=a5317587b6\u0026mc_eid=af28d8d5ca","title":"Delta, Georgia Tech leaders, discuss climate solutions for businesses at Atlanta Press Club event (SaportaReport, 03\/31\/2022)"}],"groups":[{"id":"1274","name":"Scheller College of Business"},{"id":"594724","name":"Office of Sustainability"},{"id":"64319","name":"Administration and Finance"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"142","name":"City Planning, Transportation, and Urban Growth"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"}],"keywords":[{"id":"190524","name":"Ernest Scheller Jr. College of Business; sustainability"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"106361","name":"Business and Economic Development"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/email:jennifer.lux@scheller.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJennifer Lux\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}