Innovative climate action beyond checklists

Creativity isn't optional anymore. It's the missing skill in climate work. We keep waiting for lightbulb moments. But the best ideas aren’t flashes. They’re habits. 🌍 In the sustainability space, creativity looks different: It’s not painting posters. It’s solving problems nobody trained you for. Here’s what that looks like: ✧ ♻️ Waste Manager → Resource Alchemist Singapore’s landfill limits forced cities to rethink waste as raw material. Old food → compost. Old electronics → jobs. That’s not fantasy. That’s design thinking—on a deadline. ✧ 📊 Accountant → Carbon Storyteller When your ESG report leads with emissions avoided, not profits made, you build trust. That’s how carbon literacy becomes investor magnetism. ✧ 👩🏫 Teacher → Systems Illuminator A banana peel becomes a science lab. A plastic bottle becomes a wind turbine blade. Hands-on climate learning = lifelong behavior change. 🧠 According to the World Economic Forum, ⤷ 73% of green jobs now require creative problem-solving. ⤷ But most teams haven’t trained for that. ⤷ They’re stuck in checklists, not “what-ifs.” Try this mental gym exercise: 💭 “What if we recaptured [waste stream] as [resource]?” Examples to start: — Coffee grounds → Mushroom grow kits — Shredded paper → Home insulation — Avocado seeds → Water-purifying charcoal This isn’t about hacks. It’s about habits. And creativity is 100% trainable across every role. 🚨 One last truth: If you’re building a sustainability team without upskilling creativity, You’re building in circles. ♻️ 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 🔔 Follow Fredrick Muriithi for bold, sustainable marketing insights.

Across the Horn of Africa, climate shocks now unfold as compound crises. The 2020–2023 drought left over 46 million people food insecure and eroded their livelihoods. Before recovery could begin, the 2023–2024 El Niño rains triggered widespread flooding, displacing hundreds of thousands of people. Drought–flood whiplash is no longer exceptional; it is the region’s operating climate. My research with the Jameel Observatory for Food Security Early Action in northern Kenya reveals that pastoralist communities are already adapting to these shifts with remarkable flexibility. From star calendars to animal behaviour and vegetation cues, herders read a rich tapestry of indicators and now complement these with radio forecasts and satellite data. They do not wait for a single forecast or a rigid trigger. Instead, they adjust grazing routes, stagger herd movements, and pool resources as signals evolve. This flexible anticipatory action challenges the dominant model of fixed thresholds and single-event triggers. It shows that forecast information only has value if it is trusted, timely, and open to renegotiation on the ground. Climate Information Services (CIS) enable this agility by translating global climate models into local, impact-based advisories. Regional centres, such as ICPAC, provide seasonal outlooks to guide rangeland management and food security planning. Communities use this information to develop innovative solutions by layering these scientific forecasts onto their own adaptive calendars. Formal Anticipatory Action (AA) frameworks can learn from this. Kenya’s 2024–2029 AA Roadmap is vital. Fundamentally, it will deliver more if it incorporates flexibility by allowing rolling triggers, locally defined indicators, and iterative decision-making, rather than treating early action as a one-off release of funds. The cost of inaction rises with every season. Investing in flexible, forecast-driven anticipatory systems is both fiscally prudent and politically essential. For governments, regional bodies, and development partners, the way forward is clear: move beyond crisis response and embed adaptive, plural, and community-grounded anticipatory action at the heart of policy and planning. In the Horn of Africa’s climate future, acting early and being flexible is the most innovative and cost-effective form of adaptation. Photo courtesy of United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)

The AI revolution is here, and it’s rewriting our future. But behind the code lies a colossal environmental challenge that most of us never see. The immense energy and water footprint of the data centres that power it all. This week, my #HumansOfSydneyClimateAction series introduces Antonia (Tia) Collings, a.k.a. ‘The Data Cooler’, the Co-CEO of Enaxiom who is tackling this problem head-on. Tia’s story is a brilliant example of applying sharp business acumen to a deeply technical climate challenge. Driven by a desire to align her work with her values after the 2019 bushfires, she pivoted her career towards sustainability. This path led her to meet Bijan Rahimi, the inventor of a breakthrough cooling technology called HydroCool. The system is a masterclass in resourceful engineering. It uses waste heat as its primary energy source. And its unique design allows it to clean contaminated water in the process. This enables a truly symbiotic relationship: a data centre can be integrated with a vertical farm, where the captured heat, clean water and CO₂ all become valuable resources to grow food. It’s a vision for a circular data economy, and it's happening now. Tia’s story also highlights the power of community. It was through a single introduction in the Climate Crew network that Enaxiom found its most significant customer to date, proving that these connections are a vital part of building a climate career. 📖 Discover Tia’s full story, and see how Enaxiom is tackling the energy footprint of our digital world, in the photo essay linked below. 👣 Follow my profile and the #HumansOfSydneyClimateAction hashtag for an inspiring story every week. 📸 If Tia’s story sparks ideas for how impactful visual storytelling could amplify your own climate tech innovation, organisation or personal story, I’d love to connect 🌐 You can explore all published stories on my website (button at the top of my LinkedIn profile). Catch up on my features on Monica Fino ('The Urban Rewilder'), Sally Giblin ('The Playmaker'), Julie Perrissel ('The Charge Connector'), Kelly Mitchell ('The Brand Architect'), Colin Finn ('The Ecosystem Engineer'), Rob Chan ('The Drive Decarboniser'), Nonnie Oldham ('The Wordsmith'), Kim Loo ('The Backyard Regenerator'), Duncan Key ('The Biodiversity Builder'), Alexander Horton ('The Career Catalyst'), Erin Remblance ('The Paradigm Teacher') and Felicity Stevens ('The Holiday Host'). #ClimateTech #DataCentres #SustainableAI #CircularEconomy #DeepTech

𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗦𝗚: 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 One of the most insightful new publications from the McKinsey Global Institute, Beyond ESG reframes the conversation on corporate sustainability. Rather than asking how much we report, it asks how much we actually contribute. 🍃 🤝 The report explores how companies can move from ESG compliance to a capabilities-based approach that links innovation and societal impact. It argues that while ESG frameworks have improved transparency, they’ve also become fragmented with the median large company now tracking over 100 ESG KPIs. What’s needed now is not more metrics, but more meaning. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀: ▪️ ESG compliance prevents harm, but progress comes from innovation, history shows how private innovation, when paired with policy support, solved major issues from leaded fuel to ozone depletion. ▪️Companies can’t solve everything, most can make a real difference on just one to three societal issues where their capabilities fit best. ▪️The “horses-for-courses” strategy, aligning a company’s unique strengths with the societal challenges it can best address can turn externalities into future value pools. ▪️Tackling the 18 societal issues studied could yield economic benefits far exceeding their costs, but only through collective prioritization, longer time frames, and smarter coalitions. ▪️ The future of ESG lies in capability, collaboration, and coherence not just compliance. This report is a must-read for anyone shaping the sustainability agenda from policymakers and investors to corporate leaders as it bridges data, strategy, and purpose in a way that few documents manage to do. #planetaryhealth #planetaryboundaries #sustainability #ClimateAction #carbonfootprint #NetZero #ClimateEmergency #SDG #ESG #GHG #netzero #corporatesustainability #innovation #McKinseyGlobalInstitute

I've spent the past two years researching climate innovation inside companies. Trying to understand how companies can move past easy wins and not just wait around for climate tech to be available. And I'm thrilled to finally share my findings publicly. 🙌 The biggest takeaway: Climate innovation is corporate innovation. 🛠️ Climate innovation requires the same conditions and resources as corporate innovation to flourish: commitment from leadership, culture of risk-taking, and resources dedicated to exploration 🧗 Sustained, incremental improvements that align with existing business context outlast the disruptive, high-profile breakthroughs. Incremental advancements more smoothly integrate into business-as-usual, which makes them more likely to stay embedded 👷 Staff that are passionate about sustainability but don't have it in their title are one of the most impactful solutions to find new climate solutions. But they must have the support and resources to identify and act on new ideas. 🤝 Climate innovation can't be done in a vacuum, companies need to actively engage the larger climate innovation ecosystem. Each part of the ecosystem (government, universities, investors, startups, etc.) plays a critical role to de-risk and speed up new climate solutions - for companies it's around demand signaling and catalyzing innovators. I'm excited to share the full framework that identifies the key levers that companies can utilize to unlock climate innovation, with a real-world example for each. You can access the report and framework here: https://lnkd.in/esVc8Ykr If you're actively working on this topic or trying to advance climate innovation within a company, DM me. And please share any other corporate climate innovation resources in the comments.

🔻 5 ACTIONABLE Climate Mitigation Strategies we should discuss but we DON'T! We all know the urgent need to combat climate change, but some of these most effective strategies are often the least talked about? 🌿 Natural Climate Solutions: Beyond forests, consider seagrass meadows. The Posidonia meadows in the Mediterranean sequester carbon at a rate 35 times faster than tropical rainforests per unit area. They protect coastlines, nurture marine life, and fight climate change simultaneously. 🔄 Circular Economy Practices: Embrace product-as-a-service models, like the one pioneered by MUD Jeans, and closed-loop systems that reduce waste and emissions. Iceland's "Bottle Return Scheme" leverages behavioural science by offering rewards for recycling. This simple incentive encourages sustainable choices. Even Loop is a great company following the circular model 🏘️ Community-Led Solutions: The Transition Towns movement, founded in Totnes, UK, empowers communities to take local action on climate change, from food production to renewable energy projects. For instance, in Totnes, they've implemented community-owned renewable energy installations, local currency systems, and initiatives to promote sustainable transport. 🏗️ Climate-Resilient Design: "The Green Building Council's LEED" certification promotes climate-resilient building design. Projects like the Bullitt Center in Seattle showcase cutting-edge green building practices. 📚 Climate Education for All Ages: Climate Kids, an initiative by NASA, provides resources and education to children, ensuring early awareness and engagement in climate action. Another one to follow is ClimateScience. What are your thoughts on these? What would you add here?   #climateaction #innovation #sustainability #climatechangemitigation #greentech #climatesolutions #climatechange

Coming off Climate Week, we all heard the clarion call to lower Earth’s temperatures. Here are some of the innovative ideas presented to cool the Earth: 1. Orbital Solar Shields: Deploying a network of lightweight, reflective shields in Earth's orbit to deflect a small percentage of incoming solar radiation. These could be adjusted to optimize cooling while minimizing negative effects on weather patterns. 2. Ocean Salinity Modification: Engineering methods to adjust the salinity of oceans in strategic areas to encourage the formation of reflective sea ice. The ice would act as a natural mirror, reflecting sunlight back into space, thereby cooling the planet. 3. Bioengineered Algae and Seagrass Meadows: Creating strains of algae and seagrass that are both highly reflective and resilient to climate change. These would float on ocean surfaces and grow in underwater meadows, respectively, serving dual purposes: increasing the albedo of the water surface and acting as potent carbon sinks. 4. Stratospheric Aerosol Injection: Developing aerosols that can be safely and precisely injected into the stratosphere to scatter sunlight. Innovations could focus on materials that have minimal negative impact on the ozone layer. This could get dicey with nations acting unilaterally. 5. Smart Urban Canopies: Designing living roofs and vertical gardens embedded with advanced, sunlight-reflective materials. These installations would absorb CO2 and lower urban heat, contributing to global cooling. Each of these approaches would require rigorous research and testing to evaluate their feasibility, effectiveness, and environmental impact. What have you heard or other ideas you would add to the mix? #climateweek #climateaction #eba #naturebased #tnc #arup #bloomberg #globalwarming