SAN JOSE, CA (June 16, 2022) – Citing the “existential threat to civilization” posed by the climate crisis, former Vice President Al Gore today joined the chorus of leading global voices calling for new, more effective leadership at the World Bank at the “ESG to Carbon Free Summit,” presented by Western Digital and the Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG).
“The World Bank ought to be leading the way to fix that, but the World Bank has been completely missing in action,” said Gore, speaking to drastic inequality in access to affordable capital between developed and developing nations, which is hindering the adoption of aggressive climate reduction strategies in some of the regions most at risk to climate impacts.
Emphasizing his support for President Biden, Gore urged him to call for a vote to demand the resignation of current World Bank President David Malpass, to bring new leadership and ensure that the Bank realizes its central mission to help fund the fundamental needs of the developing world.
“The idea that facing this climate crisis, the international community is not fixing the access to capital in developing countries is literally insane,” proclaimed Gore.
In a wide-ranging virtual conversation with SVLG CEO Ahmad Thomas, Gore also spoke to the emergence of a “sustainability revolution” across every sector of the economy, pointing to promising advances in climate solutions such as the maturation of renewable energy generation, as well as transportation electrification, circular supply chains, regenerative agriculture and sustainable forestry.
The summit also featured U.S. EPA Region 9 Administrator Martha Guzman Aceves, California Controller Betty Yee, senior climate officials from Western States in California, as well as leading California CCAs and senior sustainability executives from HP, Oracle, Nasdaq and Western Digital.
During a panel discussion focused on environment, social and governance or ESG issues, Thomas emphasized the centrality of ESG in SVLG’s new vision of leadership for Silicon Valley. “Our new vision of corporate citizenship in Silicon Valley embodies accountability, equity, inclusion, and environmental stewardship. It embraces our startup roots with an entrepreneurial approach to policy, partnerships and public & private investments,” he concluded. “During this time of uncertainty and challenge, our collective work is needed now more than ever before.”
Gore’s remarks can be viewed online here and a full rebroadcast of the event is available on SVLG’s YouTube channel here.
About the Silicon Valley Leadership Group
The Leadership Group is a business organization of hundreds of Silicon Valley’s most dynamic companies working to shape the innovation economy of California and the nation. Founded by David Packard of Hewlett-Packard, for over 40 years the SVLG has worked to address issues that affect the region’s economic health and quality of life. Today the SVLG Is focused on economic competitiveness with a special focus on diversity & inclusion, climate change and infrastructure. SVLG members collectively provide nearly one of every three private sector jobs in Silicon Valley and contribute more than $3 trillion to the worldwide economy. For more information, visit svlg.org.
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