The Serenity Prayer has been on my mind as we approach the end of one year and the start of another:
“Grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
It’s a powerful mantra on different levels - it keeps me going while staying grounded, and brings healthy perspectives back into the frame when things get tough. As I write, I keep on circling back to the serenity prayer - what are the little and big things we can do to have an impact, find the courage to think differently and boldness to deliver new solutions, all the while carrying the humility to acknowledge what we don’t or can’t know, and trust that others do their parts.
When this newsletter started I was a bit frustrated that very few in my network was talking about climate change’s impact on the corporate security risk sector. That may sound a bit niche, to be fair, though climate is not just a “game changer,” but one of the greatest innovation opportunities of all time. I strongly believe that climate touches everything, and either we get ahead of it or be forced to at some point very soon. All I wanted was to get some thoughts down, to do something about something that I cared about, and seek out tribes of like minded people.
To those who have offered their support, advice, connections - and most importantly, time - over the past few months, I give you my sincere thanks. I’m not sure yet if I could change anything, but I sure will try.
There are a lot of “year in review” and “next year’s predictions” pieces floating around and I won’t subject you to another one. But I do want to highlight what this newsletter will continue to aim to do in the new year:
Raise awareness of climate risks and impacts within the corporate security / intelligence / geopolitics industry. Excite fellow non-techies and non-technicals about this issue.
Bring together emerging clusters of experts and practitioners between industry, academia and the public sector.
Encourage action in our own ways - whether that’s education, investing, activism, or building solutions - to protect what matters for us.
I plan be writing, speaking and working more a variety of issues, including:
Climate and disaster planning + response
Follow the $: the business of climate mitigation and adaptation
Reshuffling geopolitics
More memes
Getting together, virtually or in-person
And more!
Your voice matters too:
In the interim, looking for stuff to read, watch, listen etc to tide you over for the rest of the festive period?
Rick Jarrell’s Climate Tech Brief is an insightful, easy-to-follow guide to different spaces within the climate tech world. Worth a sub.
Adelphi, a German thinktank, recently published a report on climate and conflict in Mali. I like it for its systems based approach to understanding risk drivers and impacts, highlighting multiple pathways between climate hazards and insecurity outcomes. The conclusion that there are few ways to adapt to change for many communities makes for a troublesome, yet important, read.
A long read from the World Resources Institute on the loss and damage topic that headlined COP27, and how that differs from mitigation and adaptation $$$
Water and food security are inherently intertwined. My Climate Journey had a recent podcast with the CEO of FYTO, one of a number of climate/agtech startups developing feed that reduces emissions footprint and water intensity.
If you read my last newsletter you’d know I’m a fan of Andrew Millison’s YT channel. The Colorado River has been in the news this year for the wrong reasons. One of his videos talks about the history and environmental impact of the canal which takes water from the Colorado to the cities of Arizona.
I hope through this newsletter that I can pay it forward in helping you in your climate journey, and would love to hear what’s top of mind for you for 2023. Take care of yourselves and your loved ones. May you have a peaceful and productive year ahead.
Alan