Below is the introduction to our latest newsletter. To read newsletters in full, sign up now or subscribe on Linkedin.
Dear Planetary Steward, dear friend of the Global Commons Alliance,
Last week President Trump withdrew the US from the Paris Agreement, despite 62% of American citizens wanting immediate climate action, according to our 2024 G20 survey. But while the Trump administration hands over climate and economic opportunities to other nations, over 5,000 state and local leaders representing 63% of the US population and 74% of US GDP have pledged to uphold the pact’s goals, which could deliver 48%+ of emissions reductions. And as we know, the Paris Agreement is much bigger than one nation.
In the same week, the Global Commons Alliance Earth Commission, Science Based Targets Network and Accountability Accelerator gathered at the World Economic Forum 2025 in Davos to collaborate with global leaders on a safe and just future for people and planet. At an event organized by Arctic Basecamp with Earth Commission, Future Earth, University of Exeter and Earth4All, scientists discussed the planet’s Safe and Just boundaries, translating scientific insights into action, and making the business case for sustainability. In tandem with the Science Based Targets Network’s (SBTN) corporate engagement, tools and methods, the Safe and Just boundaries provide a clear framework for action and stepwise approach to increasing resilience for companies and cities.
During a Nature Positive Initiative event, Erin Billman, Executive Director, SBTN, outlined how the leadership of companies that are bold enough to use this science to set targets—including Holcim, Kering and GSK—proves that credible, measurable action toward a nature positive future is still valued and happening despite apparent corporate rollbacks on all things ‘ESG’. The GCA Accountability Accelerator, Global Reporting Initiative, Porticus and partners held an event focused on advancing a unified approach to capacity building for corporate nature standards and frameworks, and opportunities to work together on implementation; work that will continue, and only gain in importance as the pressure mounts now on Brussels to cut back its world-leading sustainability agenda in light of Trump’s deregulation drive.
Deregulation threats aside, amid the world’s escalating climate, environmental and geopolitical crises, the spotlight on science’s vital role in shaping global decision-making remains fundamental to all our work. As Wendy Broadgate, Executive Director for the Earth Commission stated simply in Davos: “Science is here to stay”, and all our teams are here to support its role in charting the pathway to a better future for all.
We end January on a positive note at the Global Commons Alliance, as we welcome some brilliant new staff, including Kajetan Czyż, as Accountability Accelerator’s Director of Finance Sector Strategy, Sebastian Schienle, Advocacy Director, and Will Tucker, Director of Communications for the Global Commons Alliance. We all look forward to working together with business, finance, policy and civil society leaders on accelerating just and inclusive systems change to safeguard the global commons no matter the obstacles in our path.
All my best,
Jane
