The message from the latest IPCC report released in April on the topic of climate change mitigation is clear: urgent and drastic action is needed if we are to limit global warming to 1.5°C. Decarbonization efforts are critical for our long-term survival. This is about morality, economics, our shared humanity, future and our planetary limitations. Although the imperative to address climate change through decarbonization is supported by decades of climate science, motivation to achieve net zero among corporations and investors particularly accelerated following the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, a legally-binding pledge among world leaders to limit global warming to 1.5°C. To achieve this target, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) maintains that the global economy must cut global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50% by 2030, reach net-zero GHG emissions by 2050; and source 70-80% of electricity from renewable energy by 2050 (source). As the world embarks on the transition to a low-carbon economy the demand for sustainability professionals that can help companies achieve their decarbonization goals will continue to grow. This session is aligned with one of the goals from COP27 to “empower all members of society to engage in climate action, through education, training, awareness, participation, access to information, and international cooperation. (Source).

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• COP27 goals to deliver greenhouse gas emission reductions and help ensure a just transition to a net-zero economy and help secure a sustainable future.
• Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
• What net zero means, where our carbon budget currently stands, and key drivers and trends to note when navigating the current industry and regulatory landscape
• Become familiar with plans from leading real estate firms to achieve their Net Zero targets including Scope 1, 2 & 3 emissions.
• Case Studies

MEET YOUR PRESENTERS

Daniele Horton is the Founder and CEO of Verdani Partners. Daniele has over 25 years of experience in real estate operations and development; sustainability strategy; and ESG management. She is a LEED Fellow, a licensed architect, and a Certified Energy Manager. She was named “Top 10 Most Powerful Woman in Sustainability” in 2014 by WSLA, and a USGBC Shero for Purpose in 2020. Daniele is an adjunct professor of Sustainable Real Estate at the University of San Diego and has a master’s in Sustainable Development from Harvard. In 2016 she founded a non-profit organization called the Verdani Institute for the Built Environment (VIBE) to advance global sustainability adoption in the built environment.

Dana Weiss is an ESG Director for Verdani Partners. She brings 15 years of experience in sustainable design and corporate responsibility, working across diverse roles in ESG for commercial real estate, triple bottom line start-up consulting, sustainable nonprofit consulting, and urban landscape architecture. Dana has developed and implemented ESG policies and protocols for clients across the real estate sector and is currently advising on ESG for over $35 billion in assets under management. She also leads Verdani’s Resilience Committee, where she uses her expertise to help refine and expand clients’ resilience programs, and frequently speaks at internal and external trainings to spread knowledge on ESG topics from net zero to new construction and resilience. As a portion of Dana’s unique work history, she worked as an independent strategist and corporate meeting facilitator for executive and board meetings. This experience, blended with her background in sustainable design, fuels her motivation to drive clients’ ESG programs forward in a thoughtful and effective way. Dana earned her Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, New York, and her MBA in Sustainable and Socially Responsible Business from Presidio Graduate School’s Pinchot campus on Bainbridge Island, WA.

CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:

ISSP credential holders will earn 0.5 CEUs for attending this webinar.