Is the Risk of Leading in the ClimateConversation (For Ag and Energy) WorthIt? Wait–Why Is It a Risk?
The newsletter for professionals cautiously approaching the discussion about climate, but pretty sure they should.
Issue Number : 6
Same Story. Different Year.
Still leading and Still 'Risking it all' for IN-CLIMATE to lead this space.
“OMG! This is soooo brave of you!” Gushed a person I barely knew as they gestured grandly and beamed with what appeared to be pride - for what and who, I wasn’t certain. I smiled wanly and looked around for evidence of danger. I saw nothing but clusters of people talking, laughing, and getting coffee or cokes.
My new acquaintance continued, “I mean, you took such a risk in doing this thing!”
Risk? Really? I didn’t see it that way. I wasn’t readying to jump out of a plane, go to war, or even buy sushi from a gas station. Those seem like great risks to me. Instead, I was at this summer’s IN-CLIMATE ‘Ag as the Solution’ Summit, an event of which I am immensely proud of the effort from our team, members, sponsors, and attendees. We’ve received excellent feedback and some great ideas for next year. I believe we’re doing important work as we support the growth of an ‘all the above’ agriculture and energy strategy for climate. But, does that make us ‘brave’? Is talking about climate in our industry actually risky?
This question has nagged at me. On the one hand, anytime you endeavor into new or slightly controversial territory and encourage other people to join you, there are certainly professional risks. There is a risk you’ll be misunderstood. There is a risk you’ll be too soon for people and be considered extreme. There is a risk some people simply won’t like the topic and won’t be interested in working with you anymore. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t considered these factors when we launched IN-CLIMATE in 2021.
What bothers me is that the person who shared the sentiment about bravery was not involved in agriculture, energy, or natural resources. He was a well-meaning attendee on the peripheral, interested but not involved in one of those industries. It bothers me that others in the climate conversation blithely consider our industries (those that are so essential for the basics of life and the basics of comfort) to be so opposed to discussing this topic that by bringing it to the forefront I was in peril. That perception we cannot afford.
Folks, the climate affects everyone. How we perceive the direction of policy, programs, government spending, investor influence, rhetoric, culture, and more is unique to us as individuals and broadly as industry leaders. Should we not like these, then we gotta do something.
So, if there is a risk at all, it is not engaging.