SC Department of Commerce and Sustain SC Insights from COP26
Ethel Bunch, CEO and President of Sustain SC
Vanessa Goeschl, Managing Director, Europe Office of South Carolina Department of Commerce
The South Carolina Department of Commerce and Sustain SC were honored to attend COP26, the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference, in Glasgow to listen, learn, and take part in the global conversation about how sustainability is driving economic development. Thanks to Google for opening the door, we were able to have a seat at many tables.
During the conference, banks, insurers and investors pledged $130 trillion toward climate action. With dollars like this on the table, our financial institutions are letting companies know they support them in investing in our natural resources and finding alternative energy solutions. At the end of the day, the bottom line does not have to be sacrificed in order to do the right thing for the environment.
More and more, our existing industries and those we are trying to attract to South Carolina are committing to ambitious and admirable sustainability goals. Being driven by investors, consumers and employees, companies are no longer just talking about sustainability but are now tying action to their goals.
South Carolina has an opportunity to leverage and accelerate progress by working with our financial institutions and existing industry to set actionable targets and goals that support their needs, while also protecting our natural resources. We recognize that to attract and retain, we need to support companies through access to clean energy, new green technologies and opportunities to invest toward their water positive, net-zero and zero waste goals right here in our state.
This decade has been described as the next industrial revolution, now called the sustainability revolution, presenting an opportunity to invest in bringing new business to support our automotive, aerospace, logistics and other clusters that call South Carolina home.
The COP26 conversations zeroed in on climate action as not just an environmental issue, but an energy, economic development and investment conversation. We understand that to balance our economy and natural resource-based infrastructure, all stakeholders must come together and work toward a common vision. Repeatedly, we heard that cross-sector collaboration of the public sector, private sector, conservation NGO’s and other stakeholders is a critical tool to be a true change agent at the intersection of commerce and conservation.
“As the only state represented at COP26, South Carolina had the unique opportunity to participate in forward-thinking conversations with global companies related to sustainability. It is imperative that we are at the forefront of this initiative to not only remain competitive, but to also ensure the business climate within our own borders effectively balances natural resources and future economic development,” said Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III.
With a mission to connect the sustainability goals of business in South Carolina with local solutions for the benefit of our economy, environment and people, Sustain SC has created a platform to implement the COP26 model of collaboration at a state level.
We have returned with an even stronger commitment to put South Carolina on the map as a state that is leading in sustainability. We know that with a focus and collaboration, we can be a model for others.
