Building Momentum. Driving Change.
We are entering the final stretch of the decisive decade to 2030, approaching tipping points that demand renewed momentum. The impacts of climate change are no longer distant forecasts – they are real, and they are here. In Aotearoa New Zealand, extreme weather events provide a stark reminder of our vulnerability and the need for rapid adaptation alongside emissions reduction.
The 2026 Climate Change and Business Conference will ask the critical questions of the moment: – How can New Zealand businesses harness the energy of the global transition, even if our domestic policy settings lag behind? – What are our most viable paths forward – politically and economically – to realise the upside of the new economy? – What are the key policy asks from the business community in the lead-up to Election 2026? – How can we leverage the opportunity of Australia’s shared COP31 leadership to bring attention, capital, and collaboration to our region? – How should New Zealand position itself to thrive in a shifting global economic paradigm?
This is a time for renewed resolve. The transition must happen – and we have the tools, talent, and tenacity to shape our role in it. The choices we make now will determine the kind of economy, society, and environment we inhabit in 2030, 2040, 2050, and beyond.
Find out more information on the conference website.
In 2022, the Sustainable Business Council and Climate Leaders Coalition partnered with the Environmental Defence Society for the first time to drive momentum towards net zero. Businesses, government entities and citizens alike were called to urgent action to reduce our carbon emissions, empower vulnerable communities to tackle climate change, grow the focus on nature, ensure a just transition, and embed business practices and government regulations that make all the above possible.
In 2023, SBC again helped deliver the 2023 Climate Change & Business Conference, which was the largest event yet with 625 in-person delegates and a further 120 online. The conference provided a timely opportunity for business, government and civil society to tackle the tough questions the country is facing, and to share innovative thinking and new ideas about how we can collectively accelerate emissions reductions while building our resilience to the impacts of a warming world.
The 2024 conference reflected the critical role of both business and Government in securing our ambitions for the future, through maintaining momentum on emissions reductions and continuing to build our resilience to a rapidly warming world. A special focus was on the increasingly vital part nature plays in the equation. The long-standing conference celebrated its 16th anniversary this year and brought together over 660 participants (in-person and online) for two days of kōrero around the theme: Leading Climate Action.
The 2025 conference focused on Ambition. Accountability. Action., showcasing leading climate action from Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond. With fewer than five years to 2030, the need for accelerated progress was clear. Global emissions must be halved to keep 1.5°C within reach – yet we are already in overshoot. Climate impacts are intensifying, global geopolitics are shifting, and while solutions to reduce emissions exist, significant barriers remain and key opportunities are yet to be realised. The conference also highlighted a growing and interconnected challenge for nature, reinforcing the urgent need for coordinated action across climate and biodiversity.
