Accelerating Corporate Climate Action: Navigating U.S. Policy for Meaningful Impact
11:00 am - 12:30 pm EDT
The U.S. policy landscape is shifting with growing implications for the private sector. Following the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and the rollback of several federal environmental regulations, companies are navigating an increasingly complex environment, balancing long-term climate commitments with policy shifts. In this context, private sector leadership is even more critical in driving progress on climate action.
This roundtable will bring together corporate sustainability leaders, policy experts, and civil society partners to discuss how companies can navigate federal policy shifts while sustaining momentum on climate action. Held under the Chatham House Rule, the session will encourage open dialogue on how collaboration, transparent governance, and effective risk management can support business resilience in times of uncertainty. The conversation will foster peer exchange and surface practical strategies to advance corporate climate ambition in a changing U.S. policy landscape.
Advancing Net Zero: Strategies for Hard-to-Abate Sectors
1:00 pm - 3:30 pm EDT
Hard-to-abate sectors—including heavy industry, oil and gas, construction, and chemicals—face unique challenges on the path to decarbonization. These sectors account for roughly 40% of global GHG emissions, yet they remain integral to the global economy (WRI, 2024). Fossil fuels supply over 80% of the world’s energy, and hard-to-abate industries employ around 30 million people, accounting for roughly 22% of all U.S. jobs (McKinsey & Company, 2021). Despite growing pressure to cut emissions, scalable solutions for deep decarbonization in these sectors remain limited. Without significant emissions reductions and coordinated transition in hard-to-abate sectors, global net-zero targets will be out of reach.
This roundtable will convene senior leaders from U.S. companies in hard-to-abate industries, alongside technical experts and representatives from standard-setting bodies to discuss practical pathways to net zero. The conversation will explore key barriers, emerging opportunities, and the role of innovation and collaboration in driving progress. Through peer discussion, the roundtable aims to identify actionable strategies to help hard-to-abate sectors accelerate their transition to net zero.
Mobilizing Action: The U.S. Private Sector’s Role in Protecting Nature
3:45 pm - 5:15 pm EDT
Nature loss is accelerating at an alarming pace. Over one million of the world’s plant and animal species are at risk of extinction. The degradation of biodiversity and natural ecosystems presents material risks to business - around $58 trillion, more than half of global GDP, is moderately or highly dependent on nature and the services it provides (PwC, 2023). In this context, the U.S. private sector has a critical role to play—not only in reversing nature loss, but also in strengthening long-term business resilience as nature-related risks increasingly threaten supply chains, operations, and economic stability.
This roundtable will bring together corporate sustainability leaders from U.S companies, UN representatives, and technical experts to discuss how companies can move from ambition to action on nature. The conversation will focus on practical steps including reducing land use impacts, supporting ecosystem restoration, engaging supply chain partners, and aligning with frameworks such as the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) and the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN). Through thoughtful conversation and peer insight, the session aims to advance meaningful, business-led action to protect and restore nature.
