IPCC does great. We also need IPPC!

We have IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). We strongly miss IPPC (Intergovernmental Panel on People Change). Let’s create it. Seriously

 “Climate Change science” has grown immensely, bore many fruits, elevated our collective awareness on likely climatic disruptions. Thank you IPCC ! Nobel Peace Prize 2007 together with Al Gore, you both disclosed the Inconvenient Truth, laid-out scenarios, as well as recommended possible ways forward. No doubt “Climate Change” science has improved by miles and bounds over the last decades. Many solutions are known by now: we need much more resource efficiency, more circularity, lower-meat diets, more sharing, more renewables, less fossil fuels, more vibrant local supply chains, and a strong dose of moderation overall.

 But we don’t change as much, nor as fast.

Why don’t we faster decarbonize our lives, business models, economies, even with IPCC contributions? : too difficult ? laziness? technology not there ? an inextinguishable desire for more comfort? an appetite for competition and comparison? lack of information ? not knowing what to do ? a feeling of powerlessness? a lack of workable alternative? a fear of the unknown? financial resources missing ? several of the above ?

If we wait each new generation to come with higher environmental consciousness, say every 20 years, IPCC states we won’t make it on time. Meanwhile, we all push back when natural resources or CO2 are given a price. What would be the mechanisms for us to welcome change instead ? Do we need to see more tragedies, i.e. fires, heat waves, storms and floods multiply ? Do we need Pope Francis’ Laudato Si, and other religious leaders' words to touch each of us deeply ? Do we await technology to solve it all?

Let us work at global scale to master the art of “Human Change Management”. Let us pool the best worldwide experts in social science, human change, behavioral science, taxation, biomimicry, governmental science, psychology, environment, consumption, and give birth to IPPC. Let us globally invest talent, money, expertise, and ensure all these skills are globally pooled, and produce reports and recommendations to better depict and decipher the complex mechanisms of change. We need IPPC.

"OK, fine, world does not change fast enough, and we are far from a +1.5 °C Climate trajectory by 2100.... but do we really need it yet another international ‘body”? Looks like answer is a "Yes" as...:

• Many countries introduce this or that CO2 tax, subsidize this energy source or the alternative, invest in such or such educational streams; Some succeed and impact, some fail and are rejected. Do we globally analyze what works, what doesn’t ? Do we conceptualize enough, share enough?
• Many communities, cities, human groups, experiment new ways of living, face hurdles, succeed in some areas; Do we know enough about the successes and what allowed them?
• Many citizens try this or that, some measure their individual carbon footprint, some stop flying, others turn vegan. Some seek a meaningful career, buy second hand-clothing. What does impact the most ? Who turns happier while being more frugal?
• Many corporations invent new ways of serving their customers, some even find a way to grow profitably whilst doing the very right thing, decoupling profit generation from planet impacts. Do we understand what makes the Leaders, Managers, and Employees of such firms drive the required change with a smile ?

IPCC reminds us many resource efficient technologies are readily available; they point some models which work (circular business models, repairing, prolonging lifespan of everything). Money seems available. Said differently, now in 2020 we already have load of 'opensource' intelligence available, and many technologies -if adopted- are known to bring 60-80% efficiency in homes, buildings, industries, infrastructure. Furthermore, new behaviors can trigger further efficiencies. They mostly depend on us, in our various capacities.

 How would an IPPC / Intergovernmental Panel on People Change help?

It would help better understand the drivers, root causes, hurdles, mechanisms of Human Change: what makes a Human -or a Human society- change, either in their personal life, as parents, citizens, employees, leaders, investors, or in the higher purpose and strategic trajectory this Human society would adopt. An IPPC would go deep in understanding, in each field, for each Human profile or group, in relation to this or that change, whether “search for higher-purpose” works better than “fear”, where “pride” works faster than “constraint’, whether “emotions” work better than “taxes”, where “trauma and revolt” are needed when some big things need to pivot, or where “emulation between peer groups” works so much better than “education” alone, to name a few change drivers. Let us take real-life examples:

• What made this City mayor decide to move into zero pesticide and free parking for Electrical Vehicles powered by renewables? To be reelected and a pioneer ? For her visit to that other city 2 years ago whose Mayor had been reelected for creating a super green town ? for a religious calling ? or as it attracted good vibes and greater energy into the community ?
• What about Amanda, business entrepreneur in the building space, deciding to be the first net-zero building promoter in Western Europe, despite all odds, and financial hurdles? Avoiding stranded assets in 20-30 years from now, or for some other reason?
• What about Sven, 38, deciding to change his career path towards the Green Finance field, whilst he was initially trained as a more traditional finance executive? His friends, his wife, his reading ? Career prospects?
• What made Peter turn veggie ? his readings about animal welfare? Compared quantification of CO2 impacts of meat, its impacts on biodiversity? Did he fear for his heart and arteries’ health ? Or is it that trip to Patagonia where he was caught with emotion seeing thousands of lambs running freely in pastures? before he decided to change.
• What made Maria cycle to work, whereas public transport is available and she owns a car ? Does she consider 2050’s kids her siblings ? Wants to be admired by her colleagues ? Or because IPCC’s latest report recommended it?
• What about Amy, who decided to live a simpler life, share her machines with neighbors, own no car, come to stores with her jars for bulk food? did she want to save money ? was she touched by pictures of landfills with piles of stuff and families seeking to extract value out of garbage, and got revolted ? or because when giving birth to her second child something deep told her whe wanted to…‘care’…
• What about Xue, 22, just graduated from a Shanghai Business School, opting to give his time to this NGO project about planting trees and recreating a local agriculture in erstwhile arid lands, each week-end?
• What about Surya, successful CEO, who at 42 resigned and set-up her own agrobusiness, and started distributing local organic food to neighboring groceries and households ? What made her move away from her 7-digit USD salary and start afresh ?
• What about Abdel & Fatma, 35 each, willing to live a pleasant though modest life, earning fair revenues and rich enough to travel the world, however always preferred to holiday locally, share their house with elders, and always welcome visitors ?

Mastering the art of change” would see CO2 (Changing Ourselves & Organisations) win over CO2 (the famous molecule).

When does change happen ? The process through which we place such decisions and take less traveled roads, explore new ways, adopt an efficient technology, is very diverse. We really need an IPPC (Intergovernmental Panel for People Change) to study it.

Was stated that everybody needed to play his/her role into the needed change, actually each of us in our respective roles, at different magnitudes: Citizen, Consumer, Employee, Parent, Child, Shareholder, Elected, Manager, Leader, etc. Some of the levers for change are illustrated below. They will have to be deeply understood by IPPC work, as well as the 'winning combinations', the 'tipping points', the ones who work for many, the ones to handle carefully, the ones which are better left to intimate sphere. IPPC will help describe whether and how much we change because of…

1.   Superior calling / Right thing to do ? ("the world needs more generosity, we are all interconnected, we can’t overconsume, we need to be responsible, world is at threat, I have to do my bit")

2.   Stewardship? : "I really feel responsible for next generation, for my kids. Let me stop single-use plastic, I want their oceans clean. Let me also influence my Company's decisions from within, seeking a win-win path for Planet & Business"

3.   Emotion? ('I just can’t do this anymore; I just want to do that now onwards): 'Look at working conditions in this factory. Can’t buy from this brand!" or "This lamb is sooo cute. I can’t eat meat any more."

4. Competition/Emulation? "My Company will we distinguished and there will be a flattering press article if we have the best low-CO2 innovations. We want to spearhead innovation in our sector, and lead by example"

5.   Empathy? "these south-eastern Asia communities should not suffer floods each year from heavy rains. Let me advocate for low CO2 energy mix worlwide, and on my end let me reduce my CO2 emissions, and move to renewables @home"

6.   Image ? (being loved and admired for something we do): "I want people to find me 'cool', because I cycle to work, my house is Carbon negative, and I eat organic"

7.   Role modeling ? "My wife saw my neighbor driving her new electric vehicle and she found it cool. Let me check which low-CO2 vehicle I can afford!"

8.   Reward? (or....hope of a bigger gain, a better future): "my variable remuneration stems directly from waste avoidance %, zero landfilling, and saved CO2"

9.   Monetary savings? "I bought this electric car as there was a 6000 € bonus at time of purchase, and I pay no highway nor parking fees. I changed car maker brand, accepted to buy more expensive car, as I knew cost of ownership was lower"

10. Leadership?: "I lead my Company in a one-planet and +1.5°C climate-constrained framework. My shareholders and teams appreciate my driving the organisation with a resource-resilient strategy."

11. Fear? "These massive bush fires impressed me, I don't want them again, we need to do something. I changed my utility contract to 100% green and we stopped buying exotic fruits in winter"

12. Boycott? "I can’t accept this company to have data centers fueled by coal power, I will use their competitor's services and change my contract"

13. Knowledge? "I just learnt my municipality only had thermal vehicles, and pesticides are used for gardening; I will propose alternative, and change my vote"

14. Calling?: …… "Nature and wildlife is to be protected; I saw negative impacts of excessive profit-driven mindset: I want a meaningful career"

15. Experience? "I visited those factories making this or that, I witnessed their processes, their effluents as well…. I will only buy stuff with transparent information, and will work with -and buy from- responsible firms only"

16. Encounters? "last summer I came across this couple who told me how their home automation devices, their tech-centric approach, was allowing them to save tens of cubic meters of water, MWh, and €. I want to copy their approach with pride"

17.  Inspiration ?: "I read Gandhi, Thoreau, Goodall life stories, and it really sparkled something. Bill Gates giving away his wealth for a cause does really touch me"

18. Information and growing consciousness? "I watched BBC Earth and Life, read that blog, attended this conference, watched this TED talk: I now know what needs to be done. Let me do my bit now"

19.                ….

Science of change management is possibly more complex even than that of climate change. Refining 'Human change' science, and related scenarios, is possibly even more 'mission critical' even than further mastering Climate change models.

If we consider this is the right thing to do, and we need to change scale fast, be smarter in modifying our trajectories, let us advocate and have IPPC come to life!