Is climate change the gravest threat the world has ever faced or the greatest business opportunity of the 21st century? Both, it appears.
Travois attended Social Innovation Forum (SIF15) — a business event intended to bolster the international efforts at the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) — the Paris climate talks. The intense two-day conference focused on scaling up the technology and capital required to help us mitigate and adapt to climate change. From electric cars to mini-fridge-sized greenhouses, companies are bringing new products to market for a changing world.
As a millennial, I was raised in a world that is conscious of global warming and climate change. Over that time, much of the public debate has shifted. We hear this issue discussed
less and less in terms of dire warnings but more and more as the thrill of the coming engineering challenge — this generation’s mission to the moon.
At the SIF, and across town at Solutions COP21 , companies were presenting this challenge in the form of games. Players are challenged to assemble a pizza that will generate a given amount of methane or assemble a product of recyclable materials. Appealing to the younger generation that will be doing the true heavy lifting, many organizations are trying to move past finger-pointing to solutions. This focus on engaging youth is long overdue.
Regardless of arguments over the final text, many who attended COP21 and SIF are already hailing the collective success. They are right to do so. Now it is time to take 
the technology we have, match it with the capital we need and start to implement the solutions that will keep us below the internationally agreed upon 2 degree Celsius ceiling.
Get in touch with us about your next housing project or economic development project. From energy performance contracting to smart appliances to green financial instruments, Travois is ready to roll up our sleeves. If you are too, let’s start talking now about where we go from here.