The Association of Foreign Press Correspondents in the United States (AFPC-USA) hosted “Leadership and Innovation: Embracing Sustainability for Future Growth,” an educational program that explored how visionary leadership is essential in driving sustainable practices and fostering innovation in response to climate challenges. Thought leaders and experts explored how organizations, governments, and industries are reimagining growth strategies through the lens of sustainability. The AFPC-USA is solely responsible for the development of this educational program for international correspondents.

The conversation highlighted innovative approaches and technologies leading the transition to a low-carbon economy, the critical role of leadership in promoting environmental stewardship, and strategies for integrating climate resilience into business models. Attendees gleaned insights on best practices, the leadership qualities needed to champion sustainability initiatives, and how collaborative efforts across sectors can drive meaningful change for a sustainable future.

The educational program featured the following panelists:

Marina Pravdić, who currently serves as the Director of Operations and Strategic Planning with the Policy and Advocacy department at The Rockefeller Foundation. In this capacity Marina manages the budget, grantmaking, and contracting for this team. In addition, Marina spearheads several special initiatives that promote the Foundation's institutional work. During the pandemic, a critical time for the Foundation and the world, Marina managed a $2M grant portfolio to provide Covid tests and vaccines to underserved communities in Miami Beach, Tulsa, and New Orleans.
Former UN Ambassador Amanda Ellis, who currently serves as Executive Director, Asia-Pacific for the Global Institute of Sustainability and Innovation and Senior Director, Global Partnerships and Networks for the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University. She is co-chair of the WE Empower UN SDG Challenge, launched by the UN Secretary General, the President of the World Bank and the Council of Women World Leaders in 2018 to promote inclusive entrepreneurship. Previous roles include New Zealand’s Head of Mission and Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, inaugural Ambassador for Women and Girls and Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to Francophone Africa.
Henk Rogers, the President of the Tetris Company and a pioneer in the video game industry. His efforts helped establish the Game Boy as a market leader and made Tetris one of the most popular games of all time. He is the founder of 10 companies and non-profit organizations focused on renewable energy, space exploration, and ending the use of fossil fuels on Earth. He founded the Blue Planet Foundation, a non-profit organization that has been instrumental in implementing renewable energy policies in Hawaii. Realizing this model needed to be exported to the rest of the world, Rogers 2021 founded the Blue Planet Alliance, an organization helping island communities disproportionately affected by climate change transition from being reliant on importing fossil fuels to using 100 percent renewable energy.
George Svigos, the Executive Director of Communications, Global Markets General Motors, a role he assumed in 2023. He leads a team of communications professionals all over the world focused on corporate, product and internal communications. His objective is to develop and implement communications strategies to support and accelerate GM’s vision of creating a world of Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion. He joined GM in 2013 and has held leadership roles in communications and government relations across a number of markets in the international region. Prior to joining GM, he held senior public affairs roles in the energy and banking sectors. Prior to this, he was a political adviser in state and federal politics in Australia.
Edda Sif Pind Aradóttir, a chemical engineer who completed her doctorate from the University of Iceland in 2001 and is the CEO of Carbfix, which provides a natural and permanent storage solution by turning CO2 into stone underground in less than two years. Earlier, Edda worked as director of innovation and prospects in the department of research and innovation at Reykjavík Energy (RE), as well as project manager at Carbfix from 2011. In her work for RE, Edda was leader of strategic projects regarding sustainable utilization of natural resources and headed extensive international innovation projects, supported by EU climate and energy framework.

The event was moderated by Oheneba Ama Nti Osei, a business journalist who is the Managing Editor at PYMNTS. AFPC-USA is solely responsible for the content of this interview. Below, readers will find a summary of some of the most important takeaways from the presentation.

ON FOSTERING SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION

Pravdić expressed gratitude to the event organizers and introduced her role at the Rockefeller Foundation, an organization that recently aligned its investments with climate change mitigation, despite its founder's history in the oil industry. She emphasized the foundation's focus on addressing climate change, which she described as an existential crisis, by rethinking and transforming key systems, particularly in food, health, energy, and innovative finance. Pravdić highlighted the pandemic as a pivotal learning moment, drawing parallels between the rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines and the potential for similar urgency in addressing climate change. She stressed the importance of leveraging trusted local leaders—such as religious figures, community icons, and doctors—to shift public perceptions on crucial issues, a strategy that proved effective during the pandemic and is now being applied to climate change communication. Pravdić concluded by emphasizing the importance of grassroots engagement as a precursor to influencing policymakers.
She said: ‘We know that climate change is the existential crisis of our time and we know that it is a very, very uphill battle that we are facing, that it's a long-term projected issue and a thorny issue that we have to deal with. But we also see it as an opportunity for all of us as humanity to really rethink reform and transform our systems.”
Svigos began by expressing gratitude and acknowledging the partnership between his company and the association, which has spanned three productive years. Representing a century-old industrial company, Svigos highlighted their commitment to achieving zero tailpipe emissions for their light-duty fleet by 2035 and their ongoing growth in electric vehicle (EV) sales, with an anticipated production of 200,000-250,000 EVs this year. He emphasized the role of communications in demystifying the EV transition, addressing misinformation, and familiarizing the public with EV benefits, such as quiet rides, connectivity, and extended battery ranges. Svigos noted that communication involves not just spreading information, but also listening to external feedback, which helps the company refine its approach. His focus was on fostering trust, engagement, and dialogue to better align public perception with their sustainability goals.
He said: “We've set the objective of zero tailpipe emissions from our light duty fleet by 2035. We're growing our EV sales and portfolio. We're going to produce somewhere between 200 and 250,000 EVs this year and sell them in the US, let alone what our operations are doing in China. We're growing EV sales at about 17% month on month compared to last year. So it's increasingly becoming a major part. What's our role in communications? I think it's to demystify the transition as much as possible as anyone in this room would know. There's a ton of misinformation out there about whatever that topic might be, but you put someone behind the wheel of an EV and it's just so much better. They're amazing to drive.”
Ellis emphasized the critical importance of partnerships in achieving sustainability goals, highlighting the diversity in the room as a testament to collaboration. She mentioned the founding of the Global Institute of Sustainability by Julie Wrigley over 20 years ago, noting Wrigley's foresight in advancing sustainability well before the UN Sustainable Development Goals were established. Ellis further stressed the shift from sustainability to "regenerative global futures," combining indigenous wisdom and high-tech solutions, particularly in EV advancements that enhance resilience by allowing reverse charging during crises. She outlined a three-tier approach to partnerships: the micro level (individual relationships), the meso level (collaborating with like-minded organizations), and the macro level (policy levers). Ellis highlighted three major global partnerships—working with the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Commonwealth parliamentarians, and the IMF/World Bank parliamentarians—to crowdsource tools and knowledge, aiding policymakers in implementing effective climate actions.
She said: “When you think about the dual purpose use [of EVs], given that storms are becoming so much more frequent and so much more intense, it's a really important strategy for resilience for islands. If you can reverse charge your EV and use it to power after a crisis, it's so sensible. So this is the next generation.”
Rogers discussed the strategic approach he used to build support for renewable energy initiatives, starting with engaging children to influence adults. He shared how 300,000 elementary school children in Hawaii helped exchange incandescent light bulbs for LEDs, explaining the benefits of saving money and protecting the climate. This grassroots effort culminated in Hawaii becoming the first U.S. state to mandate 100% renewable energy, with 13 other states, including California, Illinois, and New York, following their example.
Rogers has since extended this model globally, particularly to islands and island nations, bringing delegations to Hawaii to learn from their experience. These delegations include representatives from the government, utilities, regulatory bodies, and communities, with a stipulation that at least one member must be a woman, or they must fund their own participation. Rogers emphasized his commitment to women in leadership, stating that his board is predominantly female because he believes men are responsible for the climate crisis and have shown limited ability to resolve it. He also mentioned that his daughter now runs the Tetris Company, a role she performs better than he did.
Aradóttir described her leadership of Carbfix, an Iceland-based climate tech company specializing in capturing CO2 and injecting it underground. By dissolving CO2 in water and injecting it into certain geological formations, Carbfix accelerates the natural process of carbon mineralization, turning CO2 into stone in just two years. She explained that over 99.9% of Earth's carbon is already stored in minerals, and Carbfix's technology mimics this natural process but at a much faster rate. Aradóttir highlighted the company's progress since its inception in 2006, evolving from an idea to a proven industrial-scale operation with over 10 years of experience in Iceland. Their technology works worldwide, as the geological formations required are abundant globally. Carbfix supports both emission reductions and carbon dioxide removal, which are critical to climate action. She acknowledged the challenges of scaling the technology, particularly due to regulatory and policy hurdles. Although carbon capture and storage are heavily regulated, current policies were not designed for new technologies like theirs, creating obstacles. Nevertheless, Aradóttir emphasized the importance of carbon capture and storage as part of the solution for hard-to-abate sectors like cement, steel, and chemicals, which cannot reduce emissions through energy transitions alone.
She said: “What we do is that we pop into this technology and process that nature has already perfected, but by introducing our technology into the process, we allow the mineralization to happen in two years instead of it happening over geologic timescales. So that is the technology in essence. We transformed what was an idea on paper then into a proven industrial scale climate operation. And since then, over the past 12 years, we have been increasing our scale. We have over 10 years of operational experience in Iceland in permanently mineralizing both CO2 from energy production and geothermal energy production, but also by working with companies that actually remove CO2 from the atmosphere.”

ON BARRIERS AND CHALLENGES ACROSS SECTORS

Ellis highlighted the alarming disparity in women's economic rights compared to men, revealing that globally, women have only two-thirds of the rights that men have, and this figure has decreased from 70% a few years ago. She emphasized the critical link between gender equality and economic empowerment, praising the innovative solutions women are developing despite the challenges. Ellis referenced the WE Empower UN SDG Challenge as a source of inspiring stories of inclusive entrepreneurship by women worldwide. She also pointed out the significant impact of policy on climate change, noting that U.S. taxpayers contribute $2,500 each in subsidies to oil companies, with $7 trillion in global fossil fuel subsidies. The IMF has estimated that removing these subsidies could reduce emissions by 34% by 2030, a crucial step toward the necessary 45% reduction. Ellis stressed that policy, incentives, and legislation play a pivotal role in addressing these issues.
She said: “There is a very important link between gender equality and economic empowerment that really more people need to make and that's part of the reason that we're working with parliamentarians. So the other key issue that I'd love to highlight is the perversity of policy in the US. Did you know that everyone is paying $2,500 of your taxes to the oil companies and globally there's $7 trillion of subsidies to fossil fuels according to the IMF and the IMF similarly has estimated that were we to remove those subsidies and repurpose them, we would have a drop in emissions of 34% by 2030 and we need to get to somewhere close to 45%? When we think about it in that regard, policy really matters. Incentives really matter and legislation really matters.”
Pravdić emphasized the importance of gender equality for both economic development and climate action, noting that women and children, especially in underserved communities in the Global South, are the most vulnerable to climate change. She highlighted that women often serve as primary income earners in these communities, making gender equality crucial for progress. Pravdić discussed the significant investments in renewable energy over the last decade, driven by the fact that 700 million people globally still lack access to electricity—600 million of them in Africa. The lack of electricity affects livelihoods, education, healthcare, and basic living conditions. To address this, Pravdić mentioned the Mission 300 Accelerator, a large-scale partnership with the World Bank, African Development Bank, and other organizations, aiming to electrify 300 million Africans by 2030. She stressed the transformative potential of providing reliable and renewable energy to improve the human condition in Africa.
Rogers emphasized that the world has the necessary technology and financial resources to combat climate change, but lacks the willpower to act decisively. Drawing from Hawaii's experience, he described how the state overcame initial resistance to renewable energy by mandating a switch from oil and coal to 100% renewables by 2045. Initially, energy companies were resistant, but after a business model shift that allowed them to profit from renewables, they became allies in the transition. Hawaii has since moved from 5% to 36% renewable energy in just seven years. Rogers stressed that solving climate change is ultimately about making a firm decision with a clear deadline. He advocated for a global commitment to fix climate change by 2045, coinciding with the UN’s centennial, and rejected uncertainty, stating that the transition is inevitable. The only remaining question is how much damage will occur before the world fully commits to climate action.
He said: “The decision is when are we going to fix climate change? If we don't have a deadline, it's never going to happen. If they up there cannot make the decision for us, then we will have to make the decision. And I think the decision is very simple. We want climate change fixed by 2045. That's the hundredth anniversary of the United Nations. It's very simple. It's just a decision. People ask me if I had hope and I say, no, I do not have hope, I have determination.”
Ellis shared her initial skepticism when she first met Henk Rogers, questioning the impact of Hawaii's renewable energy efforts given its small population of 1.4 million. Rogers explained it as a "demonstration effect." Later, at Governor Brown's Global Climate Action Summit, California committed to 100% renewable energy, following Hawaii's lead. Ellis realized the significance of Rogers' vision, acknowledging that now over 50% of Americans are covered by such mandates, with 13 states following Hawaii's example. She celebrated this progress, emphasizing the collective determination, not just hope, for a sustainable future.
Svigos emphasized that sustainability is not a binary issue but good business. He highlighted the importance of clear communication, cutting through the noise to make sustainability credible and attainable. Svigos pointed out GM's commitment to 100% renewable energy in their U.S. facilities by 2025 and the positive impact their purchasing power has on their supply chain, driving more sustainable practices. He also stressed that the transition to greener energy will happen at different paces globally, so GM continues to offer both electric and increasingly efficient internal combustion engines. Svigos underscored the need for active participation in public discussions, even when they're uncomfortable, to drive progress.
He said: "When you look globally, countries are at different stages of their development, so this transition is going to happen at different paces around the world. We need to continue offering dual options. We also need to communicate the value of increasingly efficient internal combustion engines. I know it's not the message everyone wants to hear in this room, but they are better than they were 10 years ago, even five years ago. We need to keep investing in these engines to make them better because, in large parts of the world, that's what is accessible under current conditions. Simultaneously, we need to keep improving our EVs—making them more sustainable, with longer range, and more affordable. We must also address challenges like end-of-life batteries and other related issues. Lastly, I believe we must actively participate in public discussions, even when they are uncomfortable for us."
Aradóttir emphasized the importance of policy in unlocking the potential of climate solutions, noting the complexity and inefficiency of regulatory frameworks across different jurisdictions. She pointed out that despite working with the same technology, the permitting process varies drastically depending on location, leading to delays and unnecessary costs. Aradóttir highlighted the challenges her company faces, such as outdated U.S. regulations requiring overly complex well designs for carbon injection, which increase costs without added benefits. She expressed frustration over the fact that it is easier to license oil wells than carbon injection wells, despite the urgency of climate action. Aradóttir called for more efficient regulatory frameworks to accelerate progress, stating that the current processes do not align with the level of urgency needed to address climate issues. She also noted the financial challenges in recent years and stressed the need to redirect even a portion of the $7 trillion currently going to fossil fuel subsidies towards climate action to significantly speed up progress. Despite these obstacles, she affirmed her determination to make progress, even if slower than desired.
Ellis highlighted the significant diplomatic challenge of raising education and awareness about climate change. She admitted that during the 2015 SDG negotiations, she and many colleagues underestimated the urgency of the climate crisis, thinking it was a distant issue. Ellis emphasized the need for bureaucrats, as opposed to scientists, to engage more in education, acknowledging the disconnect between policymakers and scientists who have been warning about climate change for decades. She shared that scientists have known about the link between CO2 and global warming since 1856, but disinformation—especially in the U.S.—has delayed action. To address this, she has partnered with global parliamentary groups to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and public understanding, working to make climate science more accessible and broadly understood.

ON COMMUNICATION AND ADDRESSING MISINFORMATION

Ellis addressed the need to change collective behaviors regarding food, waste, clothing, and climate justice in light of climate change. She emphasized the importance of integrating sustainability into education, citing initiatives like Arizona State University’s requirement for all students to graduate with sustainability competency. This initiative, considered radical two decades ago, is now part of broader efforts to develop curricula for K-12 and higher education in collaboration with the World Bank’s global education director. Ellis also mentioned the launch of Open Planet, a new platform offering free resources and tools to raise awareness about climate issues, and expressed interest in collaborating with Pravdić to create competitions that promote positive climate scenarios, moving beyond a focus on doom and gloom.
Aradóttir views climate change as a “significant economic opportunity rather than a doom-and-gloom scenario.” She emphasizes that this is a chance to transform our ways of living, which can lead to the creation of exciting jobs and new revenue streams for various regions worldwide. By adopting a positive perspective and acting accordingly, we can harness the potential of climate change for economic growth and innovation.
Pravdić emphasizes the importance of envisioning a positive future in the face of climate change, contrasting it with the more familiar dystopian narratives. She argues that while dystopian scenarios are easily imagined, the vision of a sustainable and beautiful planet is less clear. She stresses that today is the moment to act, as there is no going back. She urges a balance of patience and urgency in addressing climate challenges, recognizing the complexity of the issues that span multiple sectors, geographies, and generations. Ultimately, she believes it is crucial to act decisively for the benefit of future generations.
Svigos highlights the challenges of communication in a fragmented media environment, where people often engage in affirmation loops, only hearing what they want to hear. He warns against imposing elite discussions on the public, as this could provoke resistance and exacerbate the issues at hand. Instead, he advocates for engaging in open conversations that encourage people to envision a utopian future without compromises. Svigos emphasizes the importance of recognizing that, for many, immediate needs—such as food and shelter—often take precedence over climate concerns. He stresses the need for sensitivity in discussions, especially considering one's privilege. Lastly, he reframes the conversation around climate change as an opportunity for economic growth and job creation, urging a shift in messaging to focus on positive outcomes rather than negative narratives.
He said: "I think the media environment is currently very fragmented, causing people to get caught in affirmation loops where they only hear what they want to hear. This can lead to living in separate realities, as you’ve described. One key point is that we cannot impose elite discussions on people; doing so will likely meet resistance and exacerbate the issue. This is a lesson from history, not just a PR issue. We need to break the conversation and engage in raw discussions that encourage people to imagine the utopia they want—without compromises. When engaging with others in this dialogue, it's crucial to be aware of the challenges they face in their day-to-day lives."
Ellis highlights a troubling trend in Florida and Texas, where legislation prohibits state pension funds from investing in companies with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) ratings. This effectively acts as a subsidy for the fossil fuel industry. She points out the challenge this poses for taxpayers, as a small portion of their taxes supports vested interests that benefit from these subsidies. Despite renewables being significantly cheaper—around 2 cents per kilowatt hour compared to 8 cents for oil and gas—there are still negative externalities to consider. As an outsider and a mother, Ellis expresses her frustration that legislation continues to support the destruction of the planet instead of promoting sustainable alternatives.
Pravdić emphasizes the potential for collaboration with influencers on social media platforms to promote climate action. Tech companies have expressed interest in leveraging influencers with large followings to disseminate important messages about climate change. Many influencers are passionate about climate issues but may lack the tools to communicate effectively with their audiences. Pravdić suggests that by understanding what these audiences want to see and hear, organizations can help influencers share meaningful messages. However, she acknowledges the broader challenges of bias and misinformation that must also be addressed in the process.
She said: "I think there are ways we can try to work around whatever firewalls they have and will put up. That's something we are actually trying to explore: how do we make them champions of climate action? Many of these influencers are very, very passionate about it; they just don't really know how to speak about it to their audiences. So, it's about figuring out who their audiences are, what they want to see, what they want to hear, and then helping them infuse those messages."
Rogers emphasizes the challenge of determining what is true in today's information-saturated environment. He notes that reliance on traditional news sources has diminished, leading governments to depend on secret agencies for accurate information, which can also be flawed. He proposes that AI could help assess the truthfulness of information, rating it on a scale from zero to 100. He argues that, given the overwhelming volume of information available, the value of truth should be emphasized to maintain democracy, as a lack of clarity on what is true poses a significant danger to democratic systems.
He said: "So, the question is: what is true? In the past, we relied on news to be true, but now we can no longer depend on it for accuracy. Governments often rely on their secret agencies, like the CIA, to determine what’s true, but even they can get it wrong, as seen with the weapons of mass destruction issue. I think a good use of AI would be to assess what is true and what is not, labeling everything on a scale from zero to 100 based on its truthfulness. Humans just can't keep up. I recently read Noah’s book, Nexus, which argues that truth is expensive and information is cheap. We can't combat information with more information because there’s simply too much of it. However, creating a value for truth could be an interesting approach. We could encourage Silicon Valley to take action to discern what is actually true, because if we all lose touch with the truth, we lose our democracy. True democracy depends on people knowing what truth is, and that’s a significant danger we’re facing."
Pravdić discusses the importance of effective communication in promoting the significance of alternative energy sources, particularly to those resistant to such messages. She highlights the support for reputable news outlets like the Associated Press and NPR, which have improved climate change reporting in recent years, though more coordination and training are still needed, especially in developing regions. She references a successful NPR climate story that used a myth-busting FAQ format to communicate environmental impacts clearly and quickly. Pravdić notes that the polarization surrounding climate change is a broader issue affecting democracies, emphasizing that climate change should unite people rather than divide them, as it ultimately concerns the planet and humanity as a whole.
Rogers stressed the urgency of addressing climate change misinformation, particularly for island communities facing immediate threats like sea-level rise. He notes that these islands often rely on imported diesel for electricity, which is costly. Transitioning to renewable energy sources could not only alleviate their financial burdens but also provide significant economic benefits. He argues that renewable energy infrastructure, such as solar and wind farms, is more secure than centralized oil refineries, which are vulnerable to conflicts and disruptions. Therefore, distributed renewable energy systems present a viable solution for both economic and security concerns.
Pravdić highlights that climate change is a pervasive issue impacting various aspects of life, the economy, and political systems. She references data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which identifies climate change as a primary driver of global migration. This migration often leads to conflict and intensifies existing civil unrest, particularly in regions with significant ethnic tensions. Pravdić emphasizes the importance of communicators, advocates, and activists in making these connections and raising awareness about the broader implications of climate change.

ON WHAT THEY WANT THE AUDIENCE TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE DISCUSSION

Aradóttir: “I think it comes back to determination and collaboration because nobody can do it by themselves. No country would do it by themselves. It has to be a collaboration—and the biggest interpretation of that word.”
Svigos: "I think from two things on my side. One is I think we're focused a lot on things that aren't working, but I think this is actually generally an era of opportunity with new technology, unlocking new ways of mutually beneficial outcomes for both the environment and the economy, for families, etc. So I take a much more optimistic view of that personally. And the second one is, if you're in the market for an EV, get one from GM."
Rogers: "Everybody in the world needs to understand that we're doing this. This is not a 'maybe we'll do it'—this is absolutely something we are committed to. First of all, we're going to run out of fossil fuels; it's not a limitless supply, and it's going to get more and more expensive to extract it from these more difficult places. At the same time, renewable energy is becoming cheaper and cheaper. So I really don't care if you want to change your ways because of climate change—just change your ways. I don't need people to focus so much on climate change and then have that debate. No, buy an electric car because it only has 24 parts instead of 2,400, and it will give you more acceleration if that's what matters to you."
Ellis: “Partnerships are paramount for multiplier impact.”
Pravdić: "I'll just say that I think all of us here are bridges, so we should think of ourselves as ways to bridge these different contrasting views and opinions and find ways to work together. There is progress. Just thinking about the last five to ten years, so much has already been done, and the fact that we are in this room talking about this [climate change] is significant; I don't think we would've been here five or ten years ago. It's a big deal, so we just need to keep the momentum going and really look for the solutionists in the room."